Shark attack victims spend summer defending sharks

It’s that time of year again. August: when everyone flocks to the beach for relief. And just in time for the news and the Discovery Channel to try and scare everyone out of the water with shark attack stories and Shark Week. In case you’ve never turned on a TV before and haven’t heard of it, Shark Week airs every summer and talks to shark attack survivors, shark experts, and shows a lot of people in underwater shark cages.

Not scary. We promise.

Now everyone loves a good shark attack story, but could  Shark Week actually be harmful? Watch a couple hours of the Discovery Channel this week and you’ll be convinced sharks are just waiting in the water to eat you. The reality is, you’ve only got a 1 in 11.5 million chance of getting attacked by a shark. Cars, dogs, and just plain old swimming are more dangerous than sharks. That’s why shark attack victims choose the summer to speak out and defend the endangered species.

Christina Reed, a shark attack survivor, is celebrating(?) the anniversary of her run-in with a shark, to visit the U.N. and ask for more protection for the prehistoric sea creatures. 10 years ago, countries participating in the U.N. pledged to work together to preserve sharks, but little has been done since then. Reed and 8 survivors are calling on these countries to do more.

Sharks around the world are endangered and it’s crucial that more laws are put on the books to preserve these totally badass awesome creatures. If shark attack victims are speaking out to protect their former assailants, it seems to carry more weight. Let’s hope some people with the ability to do so listen to these survivors and start working to protect sharks.

Have fun at the beach everyone – swim without fear!