Like every living creature, however, sharks have weaknesses that can leave them vulnerable. In fact, flipping certain shark species upside down renders them immobile for up to 15 minutes, inducing a trance-like state known as "tonic immobility." Tonic immobility can occur naturally, or it can be brought on purposely.
While it may sound like a marine version of cow tipping, shark flipping is actually the (very scientific) process of rotating a shark onto its back, resulting in an almost hypnotic state that renders the shark completely still for almost 15 minutes and can be done on a variety of sharks.
When the shark is gently turned on their back, it's thought to disorientate them, causing them to enter the state. The shark's muscles relax and their breathing becomes deep and rhythmic. When released the shark snaps out of this state. But why would tonic immobility be useful for sharks?
It may surprise some people to learn that sharks can in fact be made to sleep by turning them upside down. This behavior is known as tonic immobility, and it has been observed in various shark species, including lemon, nurse, bull, and hammerhead sharks.
Flipping a shark—any species of shark or ray—will put the animal in a trance-like state where they become calm and don't struggle as much. It's similar to hypnosis. When in this state, a shark's muscles relax, and they breathe deeper and more consistently. This state can last for as long as 15 minutes!
Bump & Bite: Characterized by the shark circling and often “bumping” their victim prior to instigation of an attack. Unfortunately, this behaviour appears to be associated with feeding and often leads to serious, often fatal, injuries. Multiple bites are not uncommon.
You may have heard that you can 'hypnotize' large predators like sharks or alligators by rubbing their bellies. There's some truth behind this. Tonic Immobility is a reflex characterized by a state of immobility and apparent paralysis.
Made of very strong and thick bone, dolphin snouts are biological battering rams. Dolphins will position themselves several yards under a shark and burst upwards jabbing their snout into the soft underbelly of the shark causing serious internal injuries. More than Peas in a Pod.
So, while most sharks will be 100% fine if they stop swimming, a few iconic species such as great white sharks, whale sharks, hammerheads and mako sharks would suffocate without forward motion or a strong current flowing towards their mouths.
During tonic immobility the dorsal fin becomes straightened and the breathing and muscle contractions become more relaxed. It is such a reliable behaviour in certain sharks that it is used as a type of anaesthesia before minor surgery.
Megalodons succumbed to global cooling due to the shrinking of their habitat, the vanishing of their favorite prey, and competition from other predators 3.5 million years ago.
If you roll an alligator on its back and hold it there, it will exhibit a strange behavior. After 15 or 20 seconds, the alligator will go limp and become unresponsive. It's called tonic immobility and, for a phenomenon so widespread in the animal kingdom, we know surprisingly little about it.
“What you actually want to do is not splash,” Grant said. “Turn around, face the animal and maintain eye contact. With tiger sharks, you can place your hand on the top of their head, push down gently and that will redirect them away from you.”
Alternatively, divers and swimmers can probably reduce the chance of an interaction with a shark by avoiding bright and highly contrasting swimwear or dive gear. We personally prefer to use dark blue or black fins, mask, tank, and wetsuit while diving.
ESDs aim to overwhelm a shark's electro-sensory system. They emit electrical pulses (each one does so in a different way) that are supposed to repel the shark. So far, ESDs have been the most effective type of personal shark repellent.
What does a shark attack feel like? While each survivor describes the experience differently, a common description from shark attack survivors is the attack feels similar to being punched or bumped. Some survivors have even recounted no pain at all!
Whale Shark
Whale sharks are among the friendliest shark species, if not the friendliest. They have been known for giving divers trips on their backs, and baby whale sharks are known to interact with humans.
The internal organs of many species of shark are loosely held in place by connective tissue. In the water, these organs are supported, but if the shark is lifted by the tail, the tissue may tear, causing damage to the organs. Leave fish in the water if possible.
It is commonly believed that the best way to fend off a shark attack is to punch (or stab, if you can) a shark in its nose, which is especially sensitive. The best bet, however, is to go for the eyes and gills, as Lisewski did.
Hitting a shark on the nose, ideally with an inanimate object, usually results in the shark temporarily curtailing its attack. Try to get out of the water at this time. If this is not possible, repeated blows to the snout may offer a temporary reprieve, but the result is likely to become increasingly less effective.