Most of us probably think that sharks are the most dangerous creatures in the sea but according to a professional diver you should be more afraid of jellyfish.
American Kayleigh Grant has enjoyed hundreds of encounters with sharks, often stroking their backs and protecting them with a simple palm on their snouts.
Fascinated by the creatures since she found a shark’s tooth on one of her first dives, the 35-year-old says she has seen many more and more severe jellyfish injuries.
She believes swimmers shouldn’t fear a shark attack unless they’re just swimming in murky water and splashing around in a panic because they’ve spotted one, the Mirror reports.
However, jellyfish are of more concern, she warns, as they are much harder to spot and should not target swimmers to hurt them, as sharks do.
Kayleigh, from Kona, Hawaii, said “On one of my first dives ever, I found a shark tooth. I was hooked and started following my dive masters. I find sharks absolutely beautiful and understand that their role in the ecosystem as predators is vital to the health of our oceans. They are actually very shy and calculating. When I go on a shark dive, I always find it fascinating how they are more afraid of us than we are of them. They are not the man eating monsters that the media often portrays them to be. The worst marine life encounters I’ve seen are from jellyfish.”
Kayleigh says she never feared being killed by the creatures, despite spending hours in deep water.
She added that “I have recorded hundreds if not thousands of shark dives at this point. It is extremely rare that they mistake us for their food. When we enter their home, we take a risk. That’s why through my videos I hope to show how to avoid a negative interaction with sharks.”
Since her start in diving, Kayleigh has made it her mission to rehabilitate the image of the shark in the public mind.
She also points out that sharks are predators and that they remain dangerous when a human enters their environment.
In an upsetting encounter, she recommends staying calm, maintaining eye contact and putting something between you and the animal.
Kayleigh hopes that more people will become open to swimming with sharks and rethink their perception of the animals.
She said, “People really like seeing sharks and often change their perception of them once they finally meet one. The average person is probably scared or tired of sharks. They are good predators and very capable animals, so I can definitely understand where that fear comes from.”
