Tayane Dalazen was on a diving trip off the coast of Brazil when a nurse shark over two meters long suddenly clamped its jaws around her thigh. The 37-year-old lawyer and social media personality remained calm until the shark released her. Her video of the incident was later viewed tens of millions of times online.
Dalazen is not the only content creator to face such danger. At least three social media influencers have been bitten by sharks in less than a year while trying to capture video footage. Researchers at the International Shark Attack File report a marked increase over the past three years in bites linked to people filming close interactions with sharks.
Experts are increasingly worried about the rise in online videos showing people swimming extremely close to sharks, touching them, or holding their fins. Shark scientist Kristian Parton warned that sharks are large apex predators, and intruding into their personal space often triggers defensive or exploratory bites.
Close interactions also cause severe stress to the animals. Scientific studies show that approaching or touching sharks increases their stress hormones, which can weaken their immune systems and harm their reproduction. Although unprovoked shark attacks remain rare worldwide at about 70 cases per year, scientists stress that observers must keep a safe distance to protect both themselves and wildlife.