The shark incident off the Manhattan Beach Pier on July 5 has sparked The Doctors TV show to take a look shark attacks. The episode airs at 11 a.m. today (Tuesday, September 9) on KCAL 9 locally.

Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the California State University Long Beach Shark Lab, who is set to give a presentation in Manhattan Beach on September 18 and gave one on July 15, says that while research isn’t clear as to why sharks attack humans, statistics suggest that there are two types of attacks: unprovoked and provoked. 

The July 5 incident is said to have been provoked by the fact the juvenile Great White shark had been struggling on a fishing line for some 40 minutes after anglers hooked it from the pier.

Dr. Lowe says unprovoked attacks generally occur as a result of mistaken identity, when a shark may bite a person thinking he or she is a seal or similar prey. The shark usually then swims away once it realizes what it’s bitten.

Provoked attacks occur when the shark feels threatened and wants you to go away.

Dr. Lowe offers the following tips in case you encounter a shark:

• Stay in groups. Shark bites rarely occur when there are several people together.
• If you see a shark, face it and keep your eyes on it as you back toward the beach. Sharks like to sneak up on their prey, and if they know you see them, they will move on.
• If the shark approaches you, splash at it and hit the gills around the eyes or its nose.

The man bitten by the shark on July 5, Steven Robles, is also expected to speak on the show along with observers of the incident.

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