There’s been a buzz on TikTok about a video capturing a shark swimming a bit too close for comfort on a beach in Hawaii.
The clip, shared by @inafuernschuss, has garnered over 449,000 views.
The overlay on the video, captured from the water’s edge, reads: “POV: You spot a shark while swimming in Hawaii.”
The footage shows waves hitting the sandy beach with the shark swimming just below the surface, a few feet away from the shore at Black Rock Beach on Maui, as per the post’s caption.
The uploader reassured viewers by mentioning, “This is not uncommon as there are plenty of sharks in Hawaii waters and they will, at times, forage close to shore. No need to panic though, as these are not hunting mammals.”
According to the Florida Museum’s International Shark Attack File, Hawaii has had 195 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks since 1837.
The museum highlighted that the number of shark attacks has increased over the decades due to more people in the water, but the per capita rate of attacks has not changed.
Shark attacks mostly occur in nearshore waters with sandbars, where sharks feed and may get stranded at low tide. Steep drop-offs are also high-risk areas as they attract sharks due to abundant food sources congregating there.
‘Terrifying’
Some TikTok users expressed alarm over the shark sighting in the viral video, which was shared on June 28.
AmberJessica commented: “That’s terrifying. So glad all I encountered today were two adorable sea turtles!”
C_JR shared: “This is my biggest fear when snorkeling.”
Rachel Rich observed: “It’s SO close to the shore.”
An anxious user added, “Omg, we just checked into the Sheraton near the black rock. Now I’m afraid to go in the water.”
Others took a more relaxed stance, with one mentioning, “It’s a normal thing in Hawaii,” and another stating, “It happens all the time.”
One user humorously pointed out, “Guess what, sharks live in the ocean.”
Another reassured, “They don’t really bother you.”
