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The long pectoral fins help blue sharks with their speed.

It’s common for blue sharks to approach boats, divers, surfers, and fishermen, but only when they come into the blue shark’s habitat. These beautiful creatures are not known to be aggressive towards humans unless they are provoked. There are only twelve reported blue shark attacks on humans, and four of those attacks were provoked by something that humans did. It’s scary to think about, but three of those attacks were a result of plane crashes or shipwrecks; meaning, people were in the middle of the ocean in an area where people would not normally be found. As we’ll learn, blue sharks can easily detect signals that a person or animal is struggling, and therefore, easy prey. It’s unlikely that a person would emit such signals during a scheduled dive or snorkeling trip. Blue shark attacks on humans are very rare, and they do not usually attack without warning. Blue sharks have been known to circle their prey for fifteen minutes or more before attacking, and much like great white sharks, blue sharks typically take a “test bite” of human prey before choosing whether or not to proceed with the attack. While blue sharks certainly are not considered aggressive, they also are not known for being timid. It’s a good idea to use caution when approaching blue sharks in the wild. If you’re interested in swimming with blue sharks, it’s important to do so through a licensed company that knows how to approach

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