Toilet injuries more common than shark bites - WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC

Toilet injuries more common than shark bites

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Educators say you don't want to follow schools of fish or swim in areas where there are fishermen, as live bait in the water is attractive to sharks. Educators say you don't want to follow schools of fish or swim in areas where there are fishermen, as live bait in the water is attractive to sharks.

WILMINGTON,NC (WECT) - With the alleged attack in Ocean Isle Beach Monday and four alleged bites that happened right in North Myrtle Beach last week, it might be a little hard to fully believe experts when they tell you how rare shark attacks are in our country.

Educators at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher say there are plenty of safety tips to offer those who are worried about what's lurking below ocean waters.

They say you don't want to follow schools of fish or swim in areas where there are fishermen, as live bait in the water is attractive to sharks.

They also say avoid swimming at dawn or dusk as fish are actually in a tired state and make easy bait.

If you're wondering how educators expect beach goers to tell where schools of fish are, considering sometimes murky ocean water, they suggest keeping an eye on birds. If you see them feeding on the water, it's a sign schools of fish are in the area and a shark could be close by.

Out of 75 shark bites that happened last year around the world, only a dozen were fatal. All of the fatalities were near small islands where the victim couldn't get quick emergency service.

And here's another interesting statistic - you're more likely to get injured by your toilet in a year than be bitten by a shark. There were more than 40,000 toilet related injuries last year.

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