Sharks can be dangerous animals that instill fear in many who enjoy aquatic activities. While the risk of a shark attack is quite low, there are steps you can take to reduce the chance of encountering sharks. One question that often comes up is whether the color of your clothing or gear can influence shark behavior. Here is a look at what the research and experts say about what color is best to avoid sharks.
Do Sharks See Color?
To understand if color matters for avoiding sharks, the first question to address is whether sharks can even see color. Sharks do have color vision, but it varies by species. Most sharks see color in the blue-green spectrum but are likely color blind in the red spectrum.
Sharks have rods and cones in their eyes, like humans, that allow them to detect color. However, they do not have the same diversity of cone cells that humans do. Humans have three types of cone cells that allow us to see the full spectrum of color. Sharks have only one or two types of cone cells.
Having fewer cone cell types limits the wavelengths of light that sharks can detect. This means they see color in the blue-green wavelength but cannot distinguish between colors in the red-orange wavelength.
So while sharks do see some color, their vision capabilities are not as advanced as human sight.
How Do Sharks Hunt and Detect Prey?
In addition to understanding what sharks can see, it’s also important to know how they hunt and find food. Sharks rely heavily on their senses of smell, hearing, and electroreception to locate potential prey.
A shark’s sense of smell is one of its most powerful tools for finding food. Sharks have an excellent sense of smell and can detect tiny concentrations of chemicals in the water. They can use their sense of smell to detect blood, bodily fluids, or animal urine from up to a mile away.
Sharks also have excellent hearing and can hear the low frequency vibrations of struggling prey. Sound travels very efficiently through water, so sharks can hear sounds from far away.
Sharks also use electroreception to detect the weak electrical fields given off by prey. All living animals emit electrical signals, and sharks can sense those signals to know when prey is near.
While sharks do use vision to hunt, especially at close range, their other senses are usually more instrumental in initially detecting potential prey.
How Shark Vision Impacts Color Choice
Given what we know about shark vision and sensing capabilities, does the color you wear matter for avoiding sharks? Here are the key considerations:
- Sharks can see contrast and some color, especially blue-green hues. Very bright or contrasting colors could potentially attract their visual attention.
- However, sharks rely more heavily on senses other than sight to first detect prey. Your clothing color won’t mask you from their powerful smell, hearing, or electroreception.
- Color wouldn’t override the scent of blood or bodily fluids if you were bleeding in the water. Those chemical signals would still attract sharks.
- Dark or muted colors aren’t likely to disguise you. The contrast of a human body against the water backdrop is still visible.
Researchers who have studied shark vision and attack behavior state that the color itself of clothes or gear is not an important factor in preventing shark attacks. Here is what some experts in the field say about color and sharks:
“I do not believe that the color of your swimsuit has any influence on the likelihood of being bitten by a shark. From shark attack data, there does not appear to be any correlation between swimsuit color and risk of attack.” – Dr. Christopher Lowe, Professor of Marine Biology, California State University Long Beach
“We do not think that wetsuit color matters. A shark will know you are not a food item before it gets close enough to determine what color clothes you are wearing.” – Dr. Neil Hammerschlag, Director of the Shark Research and Conservation Program, University of Miami
“There is no evidence of sharks preferentially attacking any color swimsuit despite myths claiming the contrary. A shark’s behavior will depend on the conditions, not color of gear.” – Dr. Erika Holland Rollins, Manager of Research Programs, Cape Eleuthera Institute
| Color | Likelihood to Attract Sharks |
|---|---|
| Black | Low |
| Blue | Low |
| Bright pink | Low |
| Camouflage | Low |
| Gray | Low |
| Green | Low |
| Orange | Low |
| Purple | Low |
| Red | Low |
| White | Low |
| Yellow | Low |
As the table shows, experts consider all colors to have a low likelihood of attracting sharks or influencing attack behavior. The contrast of a human in the water is still visible regardless of color.
Other Precautions Against Sharks
If color doesn’t impact your shark safety, are there steps you can take to reduce your risk?
Researchers emphasize that the overall risk of a shark attack is very low. Sharks generally do not target humans, and most attacks are a case of mistaken identity. However, you can take these precautions to minimize your shark encounter risk:
- Avoid areas with signs of bait fish or seal colonies – sharks may be feeding there.
- Steer clear of dawn and dusk hours when sharks are most active.
- Don’t enter water with known effluents or sewage discharges.
- Avoid murky water and areas between sandbars where sharks may reside.
- Don’t swim alone or far from shore.
- Avoid erratic movements that could resemble injured prey.
- Do not swim if you are bleeding from an open wound.
Safety measures like avoiding areas of shark activity, swimming close to shore, and staying out of the water at high risk times will be your best defense.
Some additional safety gear options include:
| Safety Gear | How It Functions |
|---|---|
| Shark repellent devices | Emits electrical fields or scents to deter shark approach |
| Shark deterrent wetsuits | Has pattern intended to camouflage and conceal from sharks |
| Diver safety devices | Allows diver to send electrical pulse to deter sharks |
| Shark shields | Generates electromagnetic field around user to repel sharks |
The effectiveness of devices like electrical deterrents or specialized wetsuits is still under study. But they may provide some additional precaution against sharks. Of course, avoiding high-risk areas and situations remains the best approach.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence, the color of your swimsuit, wetsuit, or diving gear should not be a major factor in shark deterrence. Sharks do see color, especially blue-green hues, but their other senses are more significant in finding prey. No color appears to dramatically reduce or increase your shark risk. You are better off focusing on location choices, activity timing, and standard safety precautions versus selecting a specific color. By taking reasonable precautions, you can still safely enjoy ocean activities while minimizing the already low risk of shark encounters.
