This is just breathtaking .. Professional predators. What I want to know is how they take such amazing footage.

They also have one very interesting feature which distinguishes them from their famous cousins ( the great white and tiger sharks ). Bull sharks can swim in fresh water.

Yep, that’s right. It might be the last place you expect to be harassed, but bull sharks have been known to swim upstream into rivers and lakes! They’ve been spotted thousands of miles up the Amazon River, and in South America they’ve even been seen leaping up river rapids ( like salmons ) to reach Lake Nicaragua. Its even been seen as far up the Mississippi River as Illinois.

Named for their unpredictable disposition, their short, blunt snout, and the fact that they often “head- butt” their prey before attacking, the bull shark are fast and agile and will eat just about anything that comes their way.

While the chances of a shark attack are extremely low, there’s still that chance… You can either put it out of your head entirely, or attempt to lessen the chance even further!

Here’s the top 10 ways to keep Jaws from eating you for dinner:

10) Do not tease or corner a shark ( seems pretty obvious, right? .. Apparently this happens ? )

9) Swim in groups and pay attention to your companions ( In case a shark gets one ?! )

8) Do not carry tethered dead or injured fish ( again, seems obvious )

7) Do not swim with domestic animals in waters known for sharks ( So don’t bring your dachshund in the water with you at New Smyrna Beach, FL )

6) Avoid drop-offs, mouths of rivers after heavy rains, deep channels, and sanitation waste outlets ( gross )

5) Stay away from fishers and fishing boats ( think: bait fish and blood )

4) Avoid large groups of fish, seals, and sea lions ( you would be swimming with the shark’s food menu )

3) Do not wear shiny jewelry or high-contrast swim wear. ( Sharks may see shiny stuff as fish scales and may be generally attracted to your circa 1984 fluorescent yellow LA Gear short shorts )

2) Do not bleed in the water ( including menstruating ). Sharks can smell and taste a single drop of blood up to a MILE away, often tracing it back to the source!

And the number one way to avoid a shark attack ?

1) Avoid shark infested water, particularly at dusk and at night

Not exactly what you think of when picturing a shark in your head, is it ? But its true, the ocean predator with cold, grey eyes and rows of teeth may actually save you from cancer one day.

Apparently scientists are learning to isolate the extremely resilient antibodies found in a shark’s immune system, potentially developing drugs that will slow or stop the spread of cancer.

Basically, sharks are rarely sick, having extremely robust immune systems. In fact, shark antibodies can withstand high temperatures and very acidic or alkaline conditions.

Researchers say that cancerous human cells actually grow less when shark antibodies become attached. Its seems as if there is some evidence that points to slowing the spread of breast cancer, malaria, and rheumatoid arthritis as well.

Hooray for jaws!

An opportunistic hunter, the tiger shark often inhabits populated waters ( such as the beaches of Hawaii ), encountering humans while visiting shallow reefs, harbors, and canals.

Its an aggressive shark which typically hunts at night on anything that it might find. It has excellent eyesight, a superb sense of smell, and an ability to pick up on low-frequency pressure waves which allow it to target its prey in the worst of conditions.

An entertaining and informative video showing how young albatross are .. ahem, “motivated” to fly by tiger sharks!

More evidence to the fact that God is good, surfer Todd Endris needed a miracle and he got an unusual one! The 24-year-old had gone surfing with four of his friends at Marina State Park just off of the shores of Monterrey, California, enjoying a day of the sport he loved.

“[It] came out of nowhere. There’s no warning at all. Maybe I saw him a quarter second before it hit me. But no warning. It was just a giant shark,” Endris said. “It just shows you what a perfect predator they really are.”

“It was so powerful and graceful and it was so fast and effective. He lifted me out of the water and bit down twice on me - once while I was in the air and once while I was going back into the water. He bit the same area, like an inch away and gave me another row of teeth marks.”

The predator attacked Todd while he was sitting on his board, its huge jaws trying to lock around both the surfer AND his board. Apparently the shark couldn’t hold that bite and disappeared for another strike. This time with Todd laying on his board, it clamped around Endris’ torso, pinning him to the board between its jaws.

The board must have protected Todd’s internal organs, but the second strike absolutely shredded his back, peeling the skin back, he says, “like a banana peel.” Its hard to imagine what’s going through Todd’s mind at this point, but he claims that he never felt like he was going to die.

The shark stayed aggressive and came in for a third offensive, attempting to swallow Todd’s right leg. Ignoring the pain and shock, Todd kicked the shark repeatedly with his left leg until it released him.

Endris braced himself for another assault…

But what should have been absolute disaster turned into a good thing as several dolphins surrounded the victim. They had been swimming near the surfers most of the day and now suddenly they had formed a protective barrier between Todd and the shark. This gave Endris enough time to get back on his surf board and find a wave to take him into shore.

Later, Endris told Surfing Magazine, “You know the funny thing, bro, is that the only thing that was awkward is there were dolphins really close to us the whole time we were out there. They were swimming around us and swimming in front of and underneath us in a couple feet of water. And after I got hit - apparently from what the other guys said - is the dolphin all swarmed around behind me as if they were protecting me.”

Its very interesting how throughout history dolphins have stepped in to protect humans from sharks. Some biologists like to think that dolphins, being one of the most intelligent mammals, like to help the helpless.