The Event That Radically Changed the Perspective on Sharks: The 1916 New Jersey Attacks

The shark attacks that took place in New Jersey, USA, in July 1916 caused sharks to be referred to as more than just fish and to be seen as human predators.

Today, even talking about sharks is enough for many people to feel fear, but it wasn't always like this. Before Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) convinced people not to swim in the ocean, a series of shark attacks caused panic and gave sharks a bad reputation.


It was the summer of 1916, and swimming in the ocean was still a new pastime for people. The heatwave drew more people to the beach. People were aware that there were sharks in the ocean, but they were quite indifferent about it. The common belief was that although sharks had large, sharp teeth for hunting, humans were too big to be prey. However, everything changed after a series of shark attacks along the New Jersey coast over 12 days resulted in the death of 4 people and severe injury to another.
The first victim was 25-year-old Charles Vansant, who went swimming in the evening in Beach Haven. Something bit his leg and tore off a large piece. He eventually died from blood loss.


After this first attack, there was uncertainty about whether the man-eating creature was a shark. Some claimed it was a sea turtle or another animal prone to attacking humans. Most people had information that the sharks in these waters were harmless, so the idea that the attack was carried out by a shark was met with skepticism.
Just five days after the first attack, a shark (probably the same one) claimed another victim in Spring Lake, 70 kilometers north of Beach Haven. From this point on, fear began to spread. Newspapers started to mention sharks in the headlines. Beachgoers began to hesitate before entering the water.


However, the attacks were not over yet, two more people were going to lose their lives. The next attack took place in a creek 2 kilometers away from the nearest bay. An 11-year-old boy was swallowed by a shark. A man on the search and rescue team also suffered a fatal attack and lost his life. Later that same day, a teenager was injured in his leg. He was the only survivor recorded from the attacks.
Two days later, the attacks ended when two men fishing near Matawan Creek killed a shark in self-defense. The cessation of the attacks led to the assumption that they were all carried out by the same shark.


Scientists confirmed that the deadly fish caught by fishermen was a great white shark. When they examined the shark's stomach, they reportedly found about 15 kilograms of human flesh. (This claim is controversial.)
Although the attacks that summer ended, the fear and anxiety they created continue to this day. Despite shark attacks being rare and it being unlikely that they prey on humans, those swimming along ocean coasts are still on alert. While scientists try to prevent sharks from being negatively remembered, these attacks seem to have possibly eliminated forever the chance of sharks being seen again as just fish.

Source : Click