Blood isn't the only thing sharks can't resist. According to UF researchers, sharks like black-and-white swimsuits as well.
George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and his team conducted the study in Florida's Volusia County, which has been nicknamed the "shark attack capitol of the world." The study, published in "Sharks and Their Relatives II," found that sharks have the ability to see contrast in color and that the likelihood of a shark attack increases when there's a new moon, swimmers are in 6 feet of water or less, on a Sunday and if they're wearing a black-and-white swimsuit.
Burgess said the researchers chose Volusia County because of its many shark attacks and its proximity to campus. Because the sharks in that area tend to be smaller, he said the shark attacks are more like dog bites, causing only minor injuries to the victims.
Attacks along Volusia's coastline made up for 21 percent of shark attacks worldwide between 1999 and 2008, according to the International Shark Attack File. There were 231 reported attacks in Volusia between 1956 and 2008, although none of these were fatal.
John Buehrig, a 21-year-old civil engineering major and member of the UF Surf Club, said he doesn't plan to change any of his surfing habits, even surfing in the evening, which is a time when sharks are more active.
He said he thinks about sharks the most while surfing in the evening, but he said he takes the risk because the waves tend to be better at that time.
Nick Koenig, a 23-year-old biology major and member of the UF Surf Club, said of all the places he's surfed - Australia, Peru, Costa Rica and Indonesia - the only place he's seen a shark is in Florida.
Koenig, who's from Peru, said he believes there are so many attacks in Volusia because it's a popular destination for surfers and sharks.
Koenig said he sees a shark one out of 10 times that he surfs but isn't deterred from the water because sharks are "very unlikely to bite."
"I'm more scared of driving my car in Peru than being bit by a shark," he said.
Tom Glikes, co-owner of FreeRide Surf Shop, said he's aware of Volusia County's reputation for having a lot of sharks, but he believes more attacks occur there because of the number of surfers in the water. He said the die-hard surfers aren't worried about sharks.
"If the waves are good, they're going to take their chances," Glikes said.
Burgess said the goal of the study was to try and reduce shark attacks by warning people and characterizing the conditions involved in the attacks.
Editor's Note: This version correctsJohn Buehrig position in the UF Surf Club.
