Are Sharks Attracted To Blood Or Urine?

Sharks have been known to be attracted to blood and urine. Some people believe that sharks are attracted to the smell of blood, while others believe that they are drawn to urine because it is a sign of weakness.

Studies have shown that both blood and urine can attract sharks, but the level of attractiveness depends on the species of shark.

Sharks Attracted To Blood Or Urine

Are Sharks Attracted To Blood Or Urine

Sharks have different senses that they use to find food, so it is difficult to say which sense is most important in attracting them.

Some people believe that sharks are more likely to attack someone who is bleeding, but there is no evidence to support this claim.

Sharks are very attracted to blood. However, they are not especially interested in blood from your kind–specifically not of human beings.

The Ampullae of Lorenzini of sharks enables them to notice penetrating electromagnetic fields emanating from enemies.

Shark experts believe these cells make sharks sense prey up to 10 meters away in murky waters, because of which they rely more heavily on sight than on hearing or touch. Sharks use electromagnetic fields to locate their prey based on their prey’s heartbeat.

Because sharks are attracted to blood, it’s because the Ampullae of Lorenzini can locate a weak electrical charge near an injured animal from up to 1.8 miles. Even if the victim is not readily seen underwater, a hungry shark may detect it.

Sharks are attracted to blood, but it actually depends on the type of shark. Examples include tiger sharks like seals and bull sharks that prey on large mammals such as dolphins.

Popular literature repeatedly states that sharks are capable of detecting a drop of blood from an advanced distance and following it to the source.

The sharks’ sense of smell may not be any more acute than that of some bony fish species, as in tuna.

It has been suggested that sharks can be attracted to one individual to the exclusion of others because he or she is bleeding, has urinated in the water or because the person sends out a stronger body odor or electromagnetic field.

Some sharks have been known to swim past several people in the water to focus on a single person in a group of swimmers or surfers.

The sharks sense of smell is more than likely a contributing factor in its chances of survival.

Reference

  1. West, J., & Zoo, T. (2014). Shark attack theories