Famed surfer: "Women's periods 'most common reason' for shark attacks"

[kumimonster]

This really isn't a women's issue. This is more of a stupidity issue.
Perhaps someone else will share it.
But I thought those in here would like to enjoy the idiocy first:

Famed surfer: Women's periods 'most common reason' for shark attacks


Laird Hamilton, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, might be spreading some misinformation when it comes to shark attacks and women's menstruation.


TMZ spotted the famed surfer in Malibu, Calif., on Wednesday and asked for his thoughts on the recent increase in great white shark sightings in Southern California.


Hamilton began by deftly debunking certain myths surrounding sharks, explaining that "most shark attacks are not fatal."


"They say that soda machines kill more people every year than people are bit by sharks," he said, adding that attacks are usually a case of "mistaken identity."

Then Hamilton kept talking.


"The biggest, most common reason to be bitten is a woman with her period, which people don't even think about that," he said. "Obviously, if a woman has her period there's a certain amount of blood in the water."


According to Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab, menstruation doesn't create enough blood to attract sharks.


Lowe told the Huffington Post: "This is one of those misconceptions that refuses to die. In fact, the amount of blood loss during menstruation is probably less than [the] average scrape or cut that a kid or surfer may get while playing in the water."


Women lose between 1.2 to 1.7 fluid ounces of blood on their period, and Lowe posits that if children with minor injuries aren't getting attacked, then periods can hardly be to blame.


Toward the end of the interview, Hamilton veers back into more scientific territory.

(more at the link above)

 

[tilikum]

He should have stfu while he was ahead.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I think Laird's misinformed opinion may be based upon the science that sharks should be able to detect such trace amounts of blood, but that more attacks are happening to women because more women are engaging in watersports. Menstruation and Sharks :: Florida Museum of Natural History

 

[Wookie]

I believe that the increase in shark attacks is due to the large amount of douche flowing from Laird Hamilton's mouth.

 

[drbill]

Although not entirely conclusive, previous studies have shown that human blood, including menstrual blood, is not highly attractive to most shark species. They can sense it but it does not appear to evoke strong interest compared to fish blood. I have been told that great whites can differentiate between human and marine mammal blood. Statistically males are the victims of shark attacks in far greater numbers than females (93% vs 7%) although that may reflect the fact that until recently males were more active in water activities than females.

 

[PatW]

Although not entirely conclusive, previous studies have shown that human blood, including menstrual blood, is not highly attractive to most shark species. They can sense it but it does not appear to evoke strong interest compared to fish blood. I have been told that great whites can differentiate between human and marine mammal blood. Statistically males are the victims of shark attacks in far greater numbers than females (93% vs 7%) although that may reflect the fact that until recently males were more active in water activities than females.

I have heard the same thing about fish blood vs human blood. I have seen people dive with small wounds sometimes suffered during the dive. I have never seen sharks show interest. I have seen sharks get attracted by speared lion fish.

It makes sense that great whites would cue in on seal blood. Most great whites specialize in seals.

In road cycling, males suffer about 10 times as many fatalities as females. Like surfing, I bet more males participate in the sport but I think there is something else going on. In our society, males seem to get involved in more risky behaviors. I have certainly seen a large number of males take chances and rarely observe that behavior in females. There is a web site called "The Darwin Awards" which is a listing of people who have removed themselves from the gene pool by engaging in a monumentally ill advised activity. I think males make up something like 95% of the winners.

 

[tursiops]

I have heard the same thing about fish blood vs human blood. I have seen people dive with small wounds sometimes suffered during the dive. I have never seen sharks show interest. I have seen sharks get attracted by speared lion fish.

It makes sense that great whites would cue in on seal blood. Most great whites specialize in seals.

In road cycling, males suffer about 10 times as many fatalities as females. Like surfing, I bet more males participate in the sport but I think there is something else going on. In our society, males seem to get involved in more risky behaviors. I have certainly seen a large number of males take chances and rarely observe that behavior in females. There is a web site called "The Darwin Awards" which is a listing of people who have removed themselves from the gene pool by engaging in a monumentally ill advised activity. I think males make up something like 95% of the winners.

I've never heard a woman say, "Here, hold my beer."

 

[JohnnyC]

I've never heard a woman say, "Here, hold my beer."

You don't hang out with the right women then......

 

[seeker242]

Surfer dudes are not known for being very intelligent.

 

[Kodad]

I don't know about sharks, but when I was in Bali, Indonesia, I was told that was the reason for most monkey attacks...