Humans’ dislike of sharks can be attributed to a few reasons. The wide media coverage that shark attacks receive, the fear of sharks that horror movies like Jaws perpetuate, or even the stereotypes that cartoons present, with sharks often being depicted as evil characters, all help to fuel the unwarranted dislike that we have for them. Today, the popular belief is that sharks will kill on sight, and chances of surviving a shark attack when one has a superficial wound are even slimmer.

Despite reports that claim otherwise, the fact of the matter is that only 3 species of sharks are known to attack humans, and even then, they do not actually prey on humans. It is difficult to correct the cemented perception humans have about sharks, due mainly to the lack of interaction we have with these sea-dwellers.

Sharks kill 5 people a year. That’s 1/14 the number of children who choked to death on hotdogs. It is laughable that the same person who has a fear of sharks can at the same time eat hotdogs every week without the fear of choking to death. The irony of the matter.

Click for more information on objects/animals deadlier than sharks.

To better understand sharks, read about them in Discovery Channel’s Shark Week: http://dsc.discovery.com/sharks/shark-facts.html