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The great white shark is a relatively curious creature. They get a bad rap, although when they do decide to make their mark… well, it’s a really big mark. Which is exactly why they get a bad rap: because no one wants to get attacked by a shark, no matter how slim the chances are.
There’s a lot we don’t understand about them, despite the fact that we’ve been trying to understand them for as long as we could try and understand them. We too are curious creatures, after all, and sharks have us pretty much stumped. And recently, a white shark was caught on camera by Scott Fairchild doing something pretty dang bold when it ran into a pair of stand-up paddleboarders.
“Sometimes the white sharks are confidently curious,” said Fairchild, an ex-scuba diving instructor-turned drone photographer. “Usually self-preservation always comes first. This is more rare; intentionally approaching head on, and if you notice, pausing when there is a perfect triangle of separation. Then choosing to put itself in the middle, between two people. As always though, its spatial awareness is on point, as it perfectly splits the difference.”
Whatever the shark was thinking, it’s an interesting look at a behavior we don’t see all too often. And kudos to the paddleboarders who kept their cool in a situation that likely was a little frightening.
Learn more about sharks in Ocean Ramsey’s Guide to Sharks and Safety.
