Abby Connolly
We are in the final stretch of summer, and a lot of us are hitting the beach to take our last few dips in the ocean. However, we must always remember to be careful in the ocean, especially in certain areas.
As scary as it is to say, there have been a series of shark attacks along the Long Island shores in New York that have happened in record-breaking time.
Last year, there were a total of 8 recorded unprovoked shark bites that happened in the state of New York throughout the summer. But this year, there were already five recorded bites by mid-July.
Beginning just before the 4th of July, five swimmers had been bitten while swimming on South Shore beaches in Long Island by the third week of July. Thankfully, the victims were treated and had non-life-threatening injuries.
Regardless, it’s pretty scary to think about. But experts say we should have nothing to stress about. Many of these sharks are most likely following their prey into more shallow waters so they’re easier to find and eat.
Sharks are much more interested in eating fish than they are in human flesh, so many of these shark bites are accidents on their part.
Some scientists are looking on the bright side, stating that the abundance of sharks near the shore is an indicator of plenty of fish, which means there’s healthy marine life in the ocean’s ecosystem.
But to be safe, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a program with $1 million in funding that will buy 42 drones to monitor sharks in the state’s waters. There are currently drones working at the Long Island beaches.
So does this mean you should stay out of the ocean for the rest of the summer? No way! Just be a bit more alert, especially if you’re swimming in Long Island waters.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
