More than half a dozen shark attacks have happened in North Carolina in the last three weeks — nearly as many as happened all of last year.

Experts say this season has brewed up something of a perfect storm for the attacks. 

Here's what's happening:

1. Warmer water

According to Chuck Bangley, a shark researcher at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, sharks typically migrate north along the East Coast from Florida during the summer, when the water gradually warms up to about 75 or 80 degrees Fahrenheit. (Most of the sharks are blacktip sharks, but there are bull sharks and tiger sharks too.)

A massive heatwave in mid-June this year happened just before many of the recent shark attacks off the Carolinas. The warmer temperatures may have attracted a lot more sharks to the area. Also, the hotter weather probably drew a lot of people to the beach.

Together, it may have been the perfect recipe for the attacks.

The timing of the bites supports this explanation. With the exception yesterday's, all of the attacks seem to be moving northward. That's because the sharks (and their prey) have probably been following the warm water, Bangley said.

2. People swimming near tasty fish bait

The victims of two attacks that occurred off Oak Island within 90 minutes of each other on June 14 were both swimming within 100 yards of fishing piers, news outlets reported. Fisherman often clean their fish at these piers and throw bait into the water, and the smell may have attracted sharks, Bangley said. 

3. Dry weather and salty water

In addition, parts of North Carolina have experienced drought conditions for several weeks, so there's been less freshwater runoff. That means the ocean water near the shore may have been higher than normal, and most sharks prefer saltier water, George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida's Florida Museum of Natural History, told Live Science. 

How to avoid a shark attack

The good news is that shark attacks are still extremely rare  — the odds are about 1 in 11.5 million, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History — and the chances of dying from one are even more slim.

You're far more likely to be killed by car accidents, dogs, or bees, as the Washington Post reported recently. The last shark attack death in North Carolina happened in 2001, according to the ISAF.

When sharks do attack, it's typically a case of mistaken identity. Sharks definitely aren't trying to kill people. "If sharks actually wanted to target people, you'd probably never be able to swim off the coast of North Carolina," he said. "We’re not that hard to catch!"

Nevertheless, there are some things you can do to avoid becoming an unwitting shark's lunch. Bangley recommends avoiding swimming in areas where people fish and clean their catch, because sharks are attracted by the smell of bait and fish guts.

You should also avoid places sharks feed, like large schools of fish, which may appear as dark blobs in the water or ripples on the surface. Birds can often be found diving into these areas as well. You don't want to find out the hard way that there's a shark there, Bangley said.

Even though sharks get a bad rap, they may actually be good for an ecosystem. They sometimes guard fish nurseries by scaring off dolphins and big fish that prey on them.

"Sharks are a really important cog in the food web," Bangley said.

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More than half a dozen shark attacks have happened in North Carolina in the last three weeks — nearly as many as happened all of last year.

Experts say this summer is brewing up something of a perfect storm for the attacks. But while they seem like they're everywhere, shark populations are actually dwindling.

And the real reason there have been so many attacks likely isn't because there are more sharks in the water — it's because there are more people swimming in it than ever before.

Shark expert George Burgess of the International Shark Attack File explained the trend in a recent NPR interview:

Shark populations in the US and around the world are at perhaps all-time lows. On the other hand, the human population continues to rise every year. We have no curbing of that.

And fundamentally [a] shark attack ... is driven by the number of humans in the water more than the number of sharks, and when areas such as the Carolinas become popular tourist destinations, as they have, there's [sic] more people entering the water. You're going to end up having more shark bites.

While a number of studies in recent decades have suggested that shark populations around the world are all declining sharply, it's hard for scientists to get exact numbers on them.

Nevertheless, by comparing recent population numbers with past data, we can get a general estimate of how sharks are doing across the globe, marine biologist and University of Miami graduate student David Shiffman explains in a recent post on his blog.

One frequently-cited survey of data published in 2003 from fisheries gathered between 1986 and 2000 suggests that shark populations are in deep trouble.

The data from that survey found that hammerhead populations were declining by an average of 89%; great whites by 79%; tiger sharks by 65%, thresher sharks by 80%, blue sharks by 60%, and mako sharks by 70%:

"We may never know exactly how many sharks are out there, or exactly how many are killed each year. What we do know, from a variety of different types of analysis, is that many species of sharks are decreasing in population at alarming rates,"writes Shiffman.

Why are sharks in trouble?

While vigilante shark hunters can do significant damage to local shark populations, the real problem centers around two main activities: Hunting sharks for their meat and fins and irresponsible fishing practices. Each year, thousands of sharks are caught and trapped in fishing nets and other fishing gear.

And while it might seem like good news that there are fewer sharks around, it's actually a very big problem for the rest of us.

In many places, sharks are apex predators, meaning they occupy the spot right at the top of the food chain. If their populations aren't healthy and stable, it throws all of the other life in the oceans out of balance.

Plus, sharks have a bunch of characteristics that make them especially vulnerable to exploitation, including the fact that they live long lives, mature late in life, and have very few young.

UP NEXT: We went to see the tiny, super rare pocket shark whose 'pocket' remains a mystery to scientists

SEE ALSO: Here's how common shark attacks in the US actually are

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NOW WATCH: Punching a shark in the nose is not your best defense

This week marks a very important summer holiday observed by many who value exploration and risk-taking in order to triumph over the fear of the unknown.

No, I'm not talking about Independence Day in the United States. I'm talking about the pop culture phenomenon known as Shark Week, a week of entirely shark-based television shows on the Discovery Channel. This year marks the event's 28th installment, making Shark Week the longest running cable program in history.

So, why are we so obsessed with sharks? Perhaps we want to understand these creatures that are bigger, faster, and stronger than we are. Maybe our fascination with sharks reflects our desire to know more about the mostly uncharted ocean. By some metrics, we have explored even less of the Earth’s oceans than we have of outer space.

Geologists and oceanographers have mapped the entire ocean floor, but only to a resolution of 5 kilometers or about 3 miles. That means that in most areas of the sea floor, we can only see structures larger than 3 miles across. Anything smaller, like a potential shipwreck or deep blue marine habitat, remains unseen.

In space, we have a much more detailed picture of our planetary neighbors. NASA’s Magellan mission mapped 98% of Venus at a resolution of 100 meters. A full coverage map of Mars made by the Mars Odyssey spacecraft obtained similar resolution, while the European Space Agency has mapped ~60% of the Martian surface at 20 meters resolution. So, we may not be sure of the true extent of our universe, and we have yet to send probes outside of even our own solar system. However, in the areas of space that we have the technology to explore, we have made far more progress than in the depths of the ocean.

The deepest known part of the ocean, the Marianas Trench in the Pacific, reaches nearly 11,000 meters. The water pressure at the bottom of the Trench reaches over 1,000 times that at sea level or over 15,000 psi. Only three people have made it to the bottom of the Trench, including two engineers in 1960 and the movie producer James Cameron roughly 50 years later. In contrast, although humans have not traveled into space beyond the Moon, a mere 380,000 kilometers away, 12 people have made that trip.

Perhaps we look to sharks, the rulers of the deep, to tell us more about the uncharted depths where they can travel easily but we, and our probes, cannot. Since Shark Week has evolved from strictly factual documentaries to include lots of shark fan fiction, here are ten true and very interesting facts about sharks.

1. Sharks glide through water much like airplanes move through the air

A shark’s tail forces water to flow over its fins much like a propeller creates airflow over the wings of a plane. Their infamous dorsal fins are used for added stability.

2. Most species of shark won't drown if they stop moving

Using the muscles around their mouths, ancient sharks could pump water over their gills so that oxygen could be absorbed. Present day sharks often breathe differently by instead using fast swimming motions to force water over their gills. When they want to stop to rest, they return to the muscle-based breathing method that doesn’t require motion. Although a few shark species don’t have strong enough muscles to revert to the more ancient breathing method, scientists have observed them taking breaks, although how they are dealing with such a strong dip in oxygen is unknown.

3. Sharks don't get cavities

Several shark species have teeth that are coated in fluoride thus helping their pearly whites stay strong and cavity-free.

4. Sharks have some of the largest fish brains

We usually think of a shark as a lone hunter prowling the ocean solo, but many are actually social creatures and travel in herds with established hierarchies.

5. Sharks can track their prey via their heartbeats

Sharks can track the electrical pulses associated with a heartbeat via electricity-sensing nodules on their noses called ampullae of Lorenzini.

6. Sharks don't actually like the taste of humans

If you are unlucky enough to be bit by a shark, the shark will not likely come back for a second taste when she or he realizes that you are not, in fact, a marine mammal.

7. You are more likely to be bitten by another person than by a shark

You are even less likely to die from a shark bite than you are to be bitten. Of the 30 to 50 shark attacks reported each year, only 5 to 10 are fatal. So, while being bitten by a shark is rare, dying from a shark bite is even rarer.

8. The dens of goblin sharks are too deep for humans to explore

The pink, long-nosed goblin shark lives along continental shelves and underwater mountain ranges in dwellings more than 100 meters deep.

9. The largest known whale shark was longer than a four story house

Whale sharks are the biggest living species of fish. The largest known whale shark was just over 40 feet long and 47,000 pounds.

10. Sharks are vulnerable

Between 20-30% of shark species are believed to be close to extinction, mostly due to being hooked by accident at commercial fisheries.

Until next time, this is Sabrina Stierwalt with Everyday Einstein's Quick and Dirty Tips for helping you make sense of science. You can become a fan of Everyday Einstein on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, where I'm @QDTeinstein. If you have a question that you'd like to see on a future episode, send me an email at everydayeinstein@quickanddirtytips.com.

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NOW WATCH: Punching a shark in the nose is not your best defense

Most people don't think of fishing as a contact sport.

But Elliot Sudal, a boat operator from Nantucket, gets down and dirty when reeling in sharks on the beaches of Nantucket.

You might remember Sudal from a viral shark wrestling video that catapulted him to fame in 2013. He's still fishing for sharks, and he uploads insane photos of himself with his catches to @acksharks, his Instagram account.

Zachary Weiss of the Observer tracked Sudal down for an interview. He found that what started as a dangerous hobby has now opened professional opportunities for Sudal.

"I just sort of liked doing this recreationally until last year when this thing [the video] happened, and now I'm this poster child for shark fishing,"he told the Cape Cod Times.

The account is filled with pictures of Sudal doing what he does best — grabbing huge sharks with his bare hands, bringing them onto the beach, and then setting them free. 

Here are some of his coolest catches.

SEE ALSO: This National Geographic photographer has one of the most breathtaking Instagram accounts you'll ever see

Sudal lives in Nantucket, where he captains a private fishing boat and catches sharks in his spare time.

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His love of fishing comes from his childhood in Burlington, Connecticut. "I had a big pond in my backyard, which I think of as my gateway drug to this wild fishing addiction I’ve developed,” he told the New York Observer.

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He studied environmental science and biology at Central Connecticut University.

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Brennan Phillips and some colleagues were recently on an expedition to Kavachi volcano, an active underwater volcano near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. But they weren't prepared for what they saw deep inside the volcanic crater:

Sharks!Hammerheads and silky sharks, to be specific, contentedly swimming around despite the sizzling water temperatures and biting acidity.

Volcanic vents such as these can release fluids above 800 degrees Fahrenheit and have a similar acidity to vinegar, according to the Marine Education Society of Australasia.

"The idea of there being large animals like sharks hanging out and living inside the caldera of the volcano conflicts with what we know about Kavachi, which is that it erupts," Phillips, a biological oceanography Ph.D. student at the University of Rhode Island, says in a YouTube video.

This brings up some perplexing questions about what the animals do if the volcano decides to wake up:

"Do they leave?" Phillips asks. "Do they have some sign that it's about to erupt? Do they blow up sky-high in little bits?"

The volcano wasn't erupting when Phillips' team arrived, meaning it was safe to drop an 80-pound camera into the water to take a look around. After about an hour of recording, the team fished the camera out and watched the video.

First, the video showed some jellyfish, snappers, and small fish. Then, a hammerhead swam into view, and the scientists erupted in cheers. They also saw a cool-looking stingray.Why the sharks were hanging out inside an active volcano is a mystery, but one Phillips hopes to solve.

Check out the full video here:

SEE ALSO: 3 factors are brewing the perfect storm for shark attacks

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NOW WATCH: Punching a shark in the nose is not your best defense

It’s the summer of the shark. Not only are the toothy creatures breaching our small screens during the 2015 installment of the week-long Discovery Channel series Shark Week, but the gilled animals are also swarming the eastern coast of the United States, which is where they’ve been caught attacking several beach-goers who dare step foot into the shark-infested waters.

International Business Times caught up with shark biologist Dr. Craig O’Connell, who is starring in the Shark Week episode “Shark Island,” to discuss the recent, grisly attacks off the shoreline of North Carolina.

The Shark Week star, whose episode premieres Sunday, shares how the recent attacks are comparable to the incidents that have occurred in Réunion Island, a French island in the middle of the Indian Ocean that has also endured a surge of shark attacks. O’Connell recently traveled to Réunion to investigate the cause behind the deadly events, while researching ways to prevent any more fatalities.

Check out our interview with the New York-native below to find out his take on the attacks and get tips on how to stay safe this summer from the majestic predators swimming in the surf:

International Business Times: I saw an early screener of the upcoming Shark Week episode “Shark Island” and my hands were sweating as you dove into the chum-infested, murky waters of the Indian Ocean. What was that like for you?

Dr. Craig O’Connell: It was intimidating. I’ve been diving in South Africa outside the cage with sharks and I even had a white shark eat a seal right above my head. But there’s something about Réunion Island that had added a little bit extra to the situation. It was murky water – you hear about the sudden increase in shark attacks and I was definitely nervous. I was very intimidated. There are some interesting things that go on when I’m down there.

IBTimes: After watching that Shark Week episode, I saw a lot of similarities between what happened off the coast of Réunion Island and what’s currently going on in North Carolina. Would you say we’re currently in a shark crisis right now with the surge in attacks?

O’Connell: I wouldn’t say we’re in a shark crisis because that’s something that might stir up a little hysteria, I think. I just think if you look at the previous decade of shark attacks in North Carolina there’s been about one in five per year. Right now there’s seven so we’re slightly above normal.

But you also have to think there are a lot of people going in the water right now, you have optimal conditions for these sharks to come near shore, so unfortunately a couple accidents did happen between sharks and swimmers and surfers. But I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a shark crisis.

IBTimes: Were you shocked to hear about the various shark attacks in North Carolina?

O’Connell: I was a little bit shocked to hear about it – especially because they were so close together. It definitely is an interesting situation and, in fact, a very unique one. But it’s just something we need to be aware of and maybe a little bit more conscious of. Now we know there are sharks very close to shore and we have to take the proper precautions.

IBTimes: And what are those preventative measures?

O’Connell: There are a lot of things we can do to prevent them. First of all, we need to understand that the ocean is the shark’s environment. And so the second we step our feet into that environment, we are in their [territory]. So, we must be very conscious of that and once we take that into consideration we need to look at other things. Like it’s not very wise to go in the water early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sharks are feeding more frequently. It’s not very wise to go in the water alone. It’s better to go with a group of people – this tends to keep sharks a little bit further away.

If you’re swimming off on your own, the shark's less intimidated. But if you create a lot of commotion in the water with your group – sharks generally are very shy animals and so they’ll tend to stay away. Not 100 percent, but it will reduce the likelihood of an encounter.

And if you do see a lot of bait around, a lot of fish – you see birds diving, this could be an indication that there are sharks in the area because where there’s prey, there’s usually the predators. If we see those particular things, it’s best not to go in the water.

IBTimes: Do you know what’s causing the surge of shark attacks in North Carolina – what’s drawing them to that area?

O’Connell: We can’t necessarily say an exact thing. There are a lot of scientists saying that it could be a combination of variables and I agree with that. It could be the warmer temperatures in that area. It could because there was a recent drought condition, which makes it more favorable for the sharks to come closer into shore. You also have a lot of bait moving along the shoreline and you have the recent sea turtle hatchlings swimming along the shore. So those a three particular things that could contribute to the shark attack situation. But the other thing we need to recognize is that schools out – it was just one of the most popular times of the year to go to the beach, July fourth weekend, and so you have a lot of people going into the water. And if you have more people in the water you have an increase probability that there’s going to be an interaction with between a shark and a swimmer/surfer.

IBTimes: So it is currently turtle nesting season. How much longer does that last?

O’Connell: I couldn’t tell you specifically how long it’s going to last. But it’s something that is occurring and has occurred over the past few weeks. But I couldn’t tell you the duration of it. But it’s not just the sea turtles [that are attracting sharks]. We also have Menhaden that are coming along the shoreline, which is a very oily fish. They tend to swim in very, very big groups and sharks tend to follow them.

IBTimes: What would make a shark want to attack? Are these bites caused by curiosity? Or are these sharks looking for blood?

O’Connell: The only thing we need to understand about sharks is that they don’t have hands – and they are very curious. So, they tend to investigate things with their mouths and unfortunately, they have a really, really sharp set of teeth. And so, when we’re on the other side of that situation it could be quite devastative. So, yes curiosity could be one potential reason. But I think one of the key reasons why sharks may attack is just a case of mistaken identity. We’re talking about these sharks coming very close to shore, in very murky water where they can’t necessarily see their prey and they may mistake us for their prey and give us a little bit of a bite. And that’s when you have these unfortunate encounters. But I wouldn’t say they’re targeting people because if they were, the beach would be a very bloody place – and it’s not.

IBTimes: What should one do if they happen to find themselves face-to-face with a shark?

O’Connell: There are a lot of different methods of getting out of a shark attack and I can’t necessarily say which ones going to be better. But one of the best things to do is get out of the water as quickly as possible. People say you can punch the shark in the snout, eyes or gills – in their vulnerable locations – but I don’t have any specific evidence that that works. And so my answer to that is get out of the water as quickly as they can so they can stop the blood and you can get to the hospital.

IBTimes: Should we be fearful of sharks following these attacks?

O’Connell: I don’t think we should ever fear sharks – they’re beautiful animals and deserve our respect. But we should be weary of them. Right now in North Carolina we know they’re swimming along the shoreline and we have to understand that. It’s their territory and we should respect that. Maybe it’s not the best idea to go in the water at dawn or dusk. But I don’t think we should be absolutely fearful of these animals.

IBTimes: During the Shark Week episode “Shark Island,” you said that you were inspired by a previous Shark Week installment to help sharks and people coexist. Do you think “Shark Island” will do the same and inspire others?

O’Connell: Yeah, hopefully it will inspire some more people. This is why I have my passion today because Shark Week inspired me. So I’m hoping that episode will do the same exact thing for other children. Maybe they’ll see it and they’ll want to protect sharks and save sharks. That’s exactly why I think Shark Week exists – one of the key reasons because it’s inspiring people, promoting awareness and making people realize the beauty of these sharks.

IBTimes: I was wondering if you thought Shark Week was beneficial to sharks. Some critics say otherwise.

O’Connell: I think [Shark Week] promotes awareness -- especially this year they’ve taken a very good turn. They’re focusing on reality and focusing on a lot of new science. And this will inspire not only me, but also the community. Maybe some of these young children who are watching will want to protect sharks and become future ambassadors of the ocean. So I think [Shark Week] is very positive.

IBTimes: What are you most excited for fans to see on “Shark Island”?

O’Connell: I think it’s going to be exciting for people to see the novel ways that [the community of Réunion Island] is approaching the shark crisis. It’s not necessarily just technology – there are other things in that episode that the local community is doing to help prevent these shark attacks. And it was super exciting for me to see because I didn’t know it existed. And it think that’s something that people should really look forward to. 

IBTimes: I saw in that episode that some of the Réunion Island locals were responding very negatively to the shark attacks to the point where they wanted the animals to be killed. Do you foresee something like that happening in North Carolina?

O’Connell: I’ve heard, after the first several attacks, that the government was going to initiate a culland go out and kill some of the sharks that are responsible. And this, in my opinion, is a very short-sided approach. We saw this in Western Australia and I think it’s something that these governments should greatly reconsider. Because their concept is to kill these sharks to minimize the potential future interaction between sharks and swimmers and what we need to understand is the ocean is the sharks’ environment. And by killing these sharks to make it more convenient for us is completely disrespectful and saddening. And so I think we need to take a step back and think in long term. Because if we think in short term, we’re going to continue to remove these sharks from the environment and we might see an environmental catastrophe.

IBTimes: I heard the number of sharks has decreased significantly. Do you have statistics that bolster that?

O’Connell: What we can say from some of the published studies is that approximately 100 million sharks are being killed every year. And this to us is alarming because the reason being is that sharks have very few young, they grow really slow and they mature at a late age. So when you remove too many of them from the environment it’s very hard for their population to recover. So if you’re removing 100 million sharks from the environment that means the shark population isn’t doing well at all.

IBTimes: Do you know what type of shark was responsible for the attacks in North Carolina?

O’Connell: Sharks that frequent the coastline [in that area] are bull sharks, blacktip sharks and tiger sharks. And blacktips are responsible for a lot of attacks in Florida – just small bite wounds. So it’s possible its one of those three species that’s causing the attacks in the area. But we can’t necessarily say for certain because we don’t have firm evidence.

IBTimes: What do you think it would take to get people back in the water?

O’Connell: I think people need to pay attention to the risks. And maybe these conditions are going to dissipate over time. But give it a little bit of time these sharks are going to move and then the situation will get better in that area.

Shark Week's "Shark Island" will air on Sunday, July 12, at 8 p.m. EDT on Discovery Channel.

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Most shark stories involve someone being saved from a shark. On Monday, it was a shark that needed saving.

Beachgoers in Chatham, Massachusetts encountered a beached 7-foot great white shark. It was apparently trying to catch seagulls when it got stranded on the shore, according to Surfing Life TV. They poured water on it to keep it alive until authorities could come and rescue it.

Here's how it all it went down:

The great white struggled as people stood by, but soon rescuers began to throw water on the shark.

As rough as it might look to see authorities drag this guy back to sea, it had to be better than being stranded on sand.

Here they are prepping the shark for its return to open water.

And off it goes to hopefully live another day.

Watch the full video below:

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NOW WATCH: This animated map shows how different our oceans will be by 2050

Video captured beachgoers in Chatham, Massachusetts rescuing a stranded great white shark.

Video courtesy of Reuters. 

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Professional surfer Mick Fanning fought off a great white shark attack on live TV on Sunday during the finals of the J-Bay Open of the Men's Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour in South Africa.

He made it out unscathed. He was visibly shaken up from the incident though.

The 34-year-old Australian told a broadcaster from the World Surf League what happened while he was waiting to catch his wave in the final heat.

"I had this instinct that something was behind me ... Then, the thing came up ... I saw the whole thing just thrashing around. I was getting dragged under by my leg rope. I felt like I punched it a couple of times ... My leg rope broke. I started just swimming and swimming. I was screaming," he said.

Fanning added: "I just can't believe it. I'm just tripping out." 

"I just want to let all my friends and family know that I'm OK. I'm just tripping out," he said.

Fellow surfer and competitor Julian Wilson was also shaken up by the incident. Wilson and Fanning were competing against each other in the finals.

In a tearful interview, Wilson recounted how he thought his friend was "gone." When Wilson saw Fanning being attacked, his reaction was to paddle over and help him.

"I'm happy that he's here," he said. 

The remainder of the J-Bay Open was cancelled after the attack.

"We are incredibly grateful that no one was seriously injured today. We want to express our deep gratitude to the Water Safety Team," the World Surf League said in a statement.

Fanning is one of the best surfers in the world.

Check out the video clips below. (You'll notice how quick the water safety patrol reacted to the attack.)

Here's fellow Australian sufer Julian Wilson explaining what he saw:

 Here's a shot of the shark's fin creeping up on his surfboard.

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NOW WATCH: Watch a bunch of people on the beach save the life of a beached great white shark

Up to 50 smooth-hound sharks were spotted in shallow, intertidal waters off the coast of West Sussex, England. RSPB warden Peter Hughes, said the sight was "astonishing" and that large shoals of sharks are uncommon to the area. 

Produced by Grace Raver. Video courtesy of Reuters.

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During the World Surf League's J-Bay Open in South Africa, Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by disrupted by a shark and left the water unscathed.

Marine biologist Dr. Allison Kock explains how he was able to prevent being bit.

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Sydney (AFP) - Australian surf champion Mick Fanning has paid tribute to "warrior" mate Julian Wilson for rushing to help as a shark attacked him, while signalling he wants to eventually return to the waves.

The 34-year-old three-time world champion fought off a shark during the final heat of a world tour event at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa's Eastern Cape province on Sunday in dramatic vision beamed live around the world.

He survived unscathed, with his rival and close friend Wilson, also from Australia, furiously paddling towards him to help, despite the danger posed by the shark, believed to be a great white.

"This man came to my aid like a warrior!!," Fanning said of Wilson in an Instagram post after social media went into meltdown over the dramatic close call, with a YouTube click of the attack getting more than 11 million views.

"It was by far the scariest thing I have ever been through and am still rattled," he added. 

Reports in Australia said Queensland state was considering a bravery award for Wilson, whose courageous actions were lauded online.

Speculation has been rife that Fanning may call it quits after hinting that he would not compete again in the moments after his ordeal. 

But he said on Instagram that: "Jbay is an incredible place and I will go back one day", referring to Jeffreys Bay.

He added in an interview with redbull.com that: "Mentally I'm a bloody mess, but I'll come good in time".

"I'm just going to get home and get my head together." Fanning was due back in Australia later Tuesday.

His manager, Ronnie Blakey, told Australia's Triple M radio he believed Fanning would still compete in the next leg of the World Surf League Tour in Tahiti next month.

"He is in a fantastic position to have a run at his fourth world title... I think Mick will regroup," he said.

The World Surf League, which organised the J-Bay Open, said the surfing world was still in shock and while the rescue teams did a great job, the situation could have been much worse.

"Certainly it will give us an opportunity to sit down and re-evaluate more the safety side of what we do," commissioner Kieren Perrow told Australian Associated Press.

Perrow said authorities would look to employ new and improving technologies to deter sharks.

Perrow added that the South African stop was not the only location with a reputation for sharks.

"Being able to have a solution that not just works here (in South Africa) but everywhere would be pretty incredible," he said. 

"We'll spend some time doing that and then review what it means for the future." 

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There have been an unusual number of shark attacks this year, particularly in North Carolina, where more than half a dozen have already been reported this summer. In one particularly bad case, two teenagers lost limbs.

That isn't stopping people from going to the beach. They're just getting a little more creative before entering the water. One couple this past weekend was spotted walking into the ocean in the Outer Banks wearing what appeared to be homemade cages to fend off sharks.

The older man and woman held the steel-looking cages over their heads, with the bars draping almost the entire length of their bodies.

They got about waist-deep in the ocean with the cages when a lifeguard blew his whistle and ushered them back to shore.

It was a good thought and the couple seems to have done it all in good fun. Even still, maybe they should take their contraption to investors and pitch it on Shark Tank.

SEE ALSO: 3 factors are brewing the perfect storm for shark attacks

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Picture this: You're swimming in the ocean, when suddenly, a shadow looms up and a gray fin pokes out of the water...a shark!

That's what happened to Australian pro-surfer Mick Fanning on Sunday during the World Surf League's J-Bay Open in South Africa, who luckily escaped unscathed.

Fortunately, shark attacks are incredibly rare — your odds of being attacked are about 1 in 11.5 million, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. In fact, you're much more likely to be killed by a lightning strike or bee sting than a shark.

However, in the unlikely event that you find yourself face-to-face with a shark, don't panic! Just follow these expert recommendations from the Florida Museum of Natural History and National Geographic News.

• Stay calm and don't splash around. Most sharks are just curious, and will leave on their own.
• Leave the water. Swim quickly but smoothly, watching the shark at all times. But if you can't get away in time...
• Back up against something. If a shark is acting aggressively (rushing at you, hunching its back, lowering its side fins, or swimming rapidly in a rapid zigzag or up and down), find a reef, rock outcropping, or piling to back up against so the shark can't swim up behind you. If you can't find a reef, stand back-to-back with another person.
• Fight back aggressively. Playing dead will not work. If you have a speargun, camera or other hard object, you can use it to spear or hit the shark; otherwise, use your hands or feet.
• Punch or claw at the eyes and gills, as these are the most sensitive areas. Contrary to popular advice, punching a shark in the nose probably isn't your best defense.
• If you're bitten, try to stop the bleeding. Leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible, as the shark may return.
• Seek medical attention immediately, if needed.

There are a number of things you can do to prevent a shark attack in the first place. George Burgess of the International Shark Attack File at the FMNH has compiled the following list of tips:

• Avoid swimming between sunset and sunrise, when sharks are most active.
• Stay in a group, and don't stray far from shore. Lone individuals are more likely to be attacked than large groups, and the farther from shore you are, the harder it is to get help.
• Avoid wearing shiny jewelry, because it resembles fish scales.
• Avoid brightly colored or patterned clothing, because sharks are good at seeing contrast.
• Don't go in waters used by fisherman. Sharks can smell bait from very far away.
• Avoid water exposed to sewage, or if you are bleeding. These substances can attract sharks.
• Porpoise sightings don't mean sharks aren't present. In fact, more the opposite. Watchout for signs of bait fishes or feeding activity, such as diving seabirds.
• Don't splash excessively, and don't allow pets in the water.
• Be careful when you're near sandbars or steep drop-offs, which are favorite hangout spots for sharks.
• Do not enter water where sharks are known to be present, and evacuate the water if sharks are seen. And don't harass a shark.

Remember, you're not likely to be attacked by a shark at all. But if you are, now you know what to do!

SEE ALSO: 3 factors are brewing the perfect storm for shark attacks

CHECK OUT: North Carolina couple wears home-made cages into the ocean to fend off sharks

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NOW WATCH: Marine biologist explains why the pro surfer attacked by a shark didn't actually get bit

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Sydney (AFP) - A diver was killed by a shark Saturday while hunting scallops off the coast of Australia as his daughter watched helplessly, shocking locals in an area not known for such attacks.

The attack happened off Maria Island in the southern island state of Tasmania following sightings of a large great white shark in the vicinity over recent days.

The man, in his late 40s, was diving with his adult daughter when he failed to resurface. 

"My understanding is the daughter returned to the boat and the father returned to get some more scallops," Tasmania Police Inspector David Wiss told reporters. "He did not return to the surface.

"His daughter became worried and went down and checked on her father, she saw a very large shark, she saw her father being attacked by the shark." 

The woman, who is in her 20s, according to the Australian Associated Press, scrambled back on board their dingy and set off a flare to attract attention.

Other boats came to her aid and helped haul her father back to the surface using the air hose he was attached to.

"But unfortunately he was fatally injured," added Wiss.

Tasmanian Scallop Association president John Hammond said the area, off the state's east coast, was not known for sharks.

"Absolute tragedy for the family. Bloody terrible," he told national radio, adding that there were a number of other divers in the water at the time.

The diver was in the shallow water and "it just struck out of the blue, and bang."

According to Sydney Taronga Zoo's Australian Shark Attack file, the last fatal shark attack in Tasmania was in 1993, when a woman was killed while scuba diving near a seal colony off the state's north coast.

Michael Kent, mayor of nearby Glamorgan Spring Bay, said Saturday's incident was "absolutely devastating".

"I feel for the family," he told The Examiner newspaper in Tasmania, adding that a 4.5 metre (15 foot) shark had been spotted in the area a number of times over the past week.

"It's a recreational area. The scallop season has been very good to professional and recreational fisherman and then we've got a disaster like this.

"The whole community down here will be deeply in shock."

Close call for another diver

Diver Danny Smith told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he and a friend had a close call in the same area on Friday.

He said he saw a great white while he was in the water but managed to get back on his boat, where he and other crew frantically pulled the friend aboard.

"The (shark) came to the surface to see where I'd gone I presumed and she sort of took a swipe at him (his friend)," he said.

"We saw fins and arms and legs going everywhere, we were initially thinking that we were going to pull in half a body.

"We got him on the boat and she came right to the back of the boat and then just descended back to the bottom."

Sharks are a regular feature in Australian waters, and swimmers and surfers have had their share of encounters this year.

Earlier this month, a bodyboarder was left fighting for his life after an attack on the country's east coast, close to where a Japanese surfer was killed in February.

Experts say attacks are increasing as water sports become more popular, but fatalities remain rare.

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When Geoff Brooks from Byron Bay, on the New South Wales far north coast, posted these photos of a massive shark on his Facebook page yesterday afternoon, saying it was caught not far off the coast on the weekend, the internet went into one of its frequent shark-related frenzies.

Not only is the Tiger shark the very definition of the phrase "you're gonna need a bigger boat," but it was allegedly caught with a hammerhead shark inside it.

Needless to say, this tale is fishy, and a number of key details are unconfirmed.

Here's the back story: Byron Bay is a popular tourism and surfing destination that has been the site of a number of recent shark attacks.

A fortnight ago, surfer Craig Ison was attacked early in the morning at Evans Head, south of Byron, and nearly died from a loss of blood after being bitten on the legs and arms by a great white. One of the shark’s teeth was embedded in his leg.

At the start of July, there were two attacks in 24 hours, leading to a major surfing competition being postponed, and in February, a Japanese man died after being attacked off Ballina, just 24 hours after another surfer was bitten at Lennox Head.

The Facebook post said the shark had been handed over to the CSIRO, but the science organisation told Business Insider that it didn’t have the shark and doesn’t know where the picture was taken or by whom. They confirmed it was a tiger shark, however.

A local newspaper, The Northern Star, spoke to a Tweed Coast fisherman, known only as "Matthew," who claims to have caught the shark about 20km off the Queensland/NSW border about three weeks ago.

He told the paper he was fighting a hammerhead shark at the time and the four-metre shark came up and swallowed it. Matthew said the shark he landed was “a little one”.

“I’ve seen tiger sharks 24 feet-long off Tweed,” Matthew said, adding that the number of sharks in the area was increasing.

He said the shark went to the fish markets, but the jaws were kept as a souvenir.

The boat Matthew works on is a commercial shark fishing boat.

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NOW WATCH: Watch the incredible video of a top surfer fighting off a great white shark attack

A great white shark launching itself into the air is not something you see everyday, but that's exactly what happens in a stunning YouTube video taken in Mossel Bay, South Africa, a few weeks ago.

The footage, which was captured by Remo Sabatini on July 6, shows one of these majestic predators launching itself completely out of the water, flicking its tail a few times, then doing a fantastic bellyflop.

The show Shark Minutes put together their own video, complete with slow motion and epic, James Bond-style music.

We don't know exactly why the shark in the video pulled this stunt, but the Shark Minutes video offers a few theories. Great whites tend to attack their prey from below, so perhaps the shark was trying to nab some dinner.

Another possibility is that the shark was startled or vulnerable. It could also have been trying to remove parasites, or making some sort of social display.

Or perhaps, it was just trying to get a better look around.

Neil Hammerschlag, a shark biologist at the University of Miami, has studied the hunting behavior of great whites in South Africa's Seal Island. The sharks tend to hunt the young Cape fur seals.

Between 1997 and 2003, Hammerschlag and his team documented more than 2,000 white sharks attacks on the seals. The most common type of attack involved the shark leaping partially or completely out of the water with their head sticking straight up, like in the video. The next most common attack styles involved the shark lunging horizontally toward a seal on the surface, or snapping its jaws to the side to catch one fleeing.

You can watch the original video here:

SEE ALSO: How to outwit a shark that wants to eat you

NOW READ: Two ambitious paddlers in California went out searching for 10 great white sharks and came back with this

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NOW WATCH: Watch the incredible video of a top surfer fighting off a great white shark attack

Footage from off the coast of Mexico of a 6-metre (20ft) greatwhite shark has experts saying it’s the largest beast ever caught on camera.

Shark researcher Mauricio Hoyos Padilla shared the footage of the 50-year-old female shark on Facebook on Monday.

Found near Mexico’s Guadalupe Island, her name is Deep Blue and experts say she looks pregnant.

Padilla says spotting the monster shark gave him “hope” that conservation efforts are working.

“Deep Blue has been spared from the longlines and the inherent dangers of being in the wild, and somehow she has found her way in the vast ocean,” he said.

“This amazingly enormous female is carrying several little baby white sharks, just waiting to be swimming free in the ocean.”

Here’s the video.

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NOW WATCH: Punching a shark in the nose is not your best defense

Video taken by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy captures a white Shark's attempted attack on a grey seal off Cape Cod during a white shark research trip taken on August 17, 2015.

Video courtesy of Reuters

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