WSVN — Sharks have been viewed as viscous predators stalking swimmers in the surf, But some shark bite survivors are fighting to protect their attackers. 7’s Craig Stevens shows us why.
The sight of one sends swimmers scrambling to the shore for safety. And this is why: Sharks attacking unsuspecting victims just out for fun.
Mike Beach and Kent Bonde both bear the scars of shark attacks.
Mike Beach: "It was Caribbean Reef Shark, and he was just a little out of control."
Mike was leading a shark dive in the Bahamas when he was bit. Kent was spear fishing near Grand Bahama Island.
Kent Bonde: "I didn’t see it coming. It hit me so hard, that’s when it actually got a hold to my leg, it actually bit me once, and then actually switched it’s bite and bit me again."
But neither man considers himself a victim.
Kent Bonde: "Understood right off the bat that what happened to me was an accident. Nothing more, nothing less."
Mike Beach: "I was in the water with the shark, and I was provoking the shark, and I had been doing it for a long time."
To this day, Mike won’t release the video of his attack because he thinks it will make the shark look bad.
Mike Beach: "It was an accident, and I knew right away that the shark was going to be vilified for the accident. I was going to be made to seem the victim, and I knew that was wrong."
He hopes sharing his story will help others understand why sharks bite.
Mike Beach: "When you have a firsthand experience, you can really relate to people on a different level."
Mike and Kent have joined with other shark survivors, using their firsthand experience to educate the public.
Kent Bonde: "Sharks are under massive threat."
Mike Beach: "I think that we were really able to communicate that sharks need protection. They need a champion."
Along with Pew Charitable Trusts, they’ve helped create shark sanctuaries around the world and even convinced Congress to tighten up shark fishing regulations in the U.S.
Kent Bonde: "Over 100 million sharks conservatively are killed annually as by-catch, specifically for their fins to supply the orient."
Kent and Mike worry that if the killing continues, others won’t be able to appreciate the majesty of these creatures like they do.
After their attacks, both men got right back in the water.
Mike Beach: "The first time I dove at the spot where I was bitten was something else, and I made that dive by myself, probably about eight months later."
Kent Bonde: "They’re a big part of my life. They’re important to me, and they’re important to the future of the ocean and for future generations."
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Pew Charitable Trusts
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/collections/2014/09/shark-attack-survivors-unite-to-save-sharks
Miami-Dade Reef Guard
https://www.facebook.com/miamireefguard
Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation
https://www.facebook.com/SharkAttackSurvivors