Featured Image Credit: Inside Edition
Topics: Australia, Sharks, Shark Attacks
James Moorhouse
A man who survived a near-fatal shark attack has shared the one thing you should 'never do' if you ever find yourself in that situation.
It's not just down to a certain Steven Spielberg film that people are afraid of going too far in the water, as shark attacks can be fairly common and the chances of survival can often be slim if you don't know what you're doing.
Even if you are fortunate enough to survive, there's a pretty good chance that you're going to lose a limb or two, unless you're a shark whisperer who knows how to safely redirect the beasts.
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Plus, they can be absolutely huge, with scientists still keeping a close eye on the world's biggest male great white which is said to weigh as much as 1,653lbs.
One man who knows plenty about surviving shark attacks is Paul de Gelder, with the former navy diver losing an arm and a leg when he was attacked by a bull shark in Sydney Harbour back in 2009.
The Aussie even managed to swim back to shore after facing off the shark in the water and he's since written a book and made a career as a motivational speaker and TV host.
In a recent interview with Discovery for Shark Week 2025, he demonstrated exactly what not to do when you come across a shark, which is putting your limbs in the water.
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After dropping his prosthetic leg in, it's almost immediately ripped apart by a group of sharks that are circling his kayak, with the synthetic blood he had inside enough to convince them to not eat the rest of him.
De Gelder also shared some other potentially life-saving advice, which is to always travel with a tourniquet to ensure that you can stop the flow of blood if you do lose a limb, otherwise you could bleed out.
He also recommends not wearing any jewellery that could reflect the sun, as sharks may well mistake it for some fish scales and think you are going to be their next meal.
Warning: This video contains scenes which some readers may find distressing.
Speaking to CBS News, de Gelder shared three tips on what to do if you are attacked by a shark.
He said: "I know it goes against all natural instincts of preservation, not to panic, but that's the most important thing you can do. You have to understand these sharks don't really know what you are, you're almost the same size as them, and they don't want to fight."
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Standing your ground and staring the shark down can also help you survive as he added: "They know when you're watching, they don't want to attack you when you're watching - they want an easy target. That's why the tiger sharks always sneak up on us from behind."
As a last resort, de Gelder advised to push - not punch - the shark in the nose to force it away from you.