ATLANTA — Emergency officials are warning beach goers to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for sharks.
Beaches in the Carolinas, a popular vacation destination for metro Atlantans, saw seven shark attacks in a two-week period. Florida reported several more attacks. Still, experts say shark attacks are not on the rise.
When you hear the word shark, you think of the big mouth, teeth gnashing, and the menacing grin - you think of Jaws. That is the great white shark.
Great whites were not responsible for the recent attacks off the East Coast. Experts believe those bites came from bull or tiger sharks, especially the attacks in North Carolina.
"I saw it first and the shock was like wow, I just got bit by a shark," said 16-year-old Hunter Treschl.
The Colorado teenager lost part of his arm last month when a shark bit him off the coast of Oak Island, North Carolina. It was the same day 12-year-old Kiersten Yow lost part of her arm in the waters off Oak Island.
"He yelled up and she told us there was a shark attack three blocks down and I got that chill up my spine," a witness said.
In June, three other children and one adult suffered bites along the North Carolina coast from the Outer Banks to Surf City. Some were minor, others much more serious.
Experts agree there have been a lot of attacks in a short period of time, but stress shark encounters are not on the rise.
"The sharks may be a little bit more active in the summertime, but the truth is, it's mostly from the increased number of people on the beach for the summer holidays," said Dr. Allistar Dove from the Georgia Aquarium.
Dove said there are 400 species of sharks, and he knows all of them. He said most aren’t interested in people and find them by accident.
"Sharks patrol the beach at this time of the year looking for food. They're mostly looking for fish. They're not looking for people," Dove said.
That's not the case with the great white shark. That species is responsible for the most reported unprovoked attacks on humans.
In April, Channel 2's Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns got the opportunity to cage dive off the South African coast where the sharks are plentiful.
Despite the shark's reputation, Burns found them fascinating and not threatening. He said they were very curious of the boat and the cage, but were not aggressive.
Deadly shark attacks are rare. There are only seven a year worldwide.
As for attacks where the victims survive, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History, Florida reported 219 from 2005 until last year. North Carolina had only 25 over the same time frame.
It may not seem like it, but the number of attacks this year along the East Coast is about the same as last year, less than 20. None of the attacks have been deadly.
"You are about 700 times more likely to die of heatstroke than you are to be attacked by a shark," Dove said.
Dove stressed if you still are worried about sharks, stay out of the water at dusk, and don't swim near fishermen or piers where large school of fish may be. His best advice is don't worry at all.
"The chances of you having an encounter with a shark are less than the chances of you being struck by lightning. So go have a good day at the beach, enjoy yourself. Go in the water. Don't be afraid," he said.