Australia has decided to rebrand shark attacks as 'interactions' or 'negative encounters' because the animals are misunderstood.
The strategy is part of a bid to make the public have a better perception of the endangered species, with officials in the country wanting to change the image they have as deadly creatures.
Scientists think that using language like 'attack' could mean people fear the animals, making it harder to protect them.
Advert
The Sydney Morning Herald reports Leonardo Guida, a shark researcher at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, wants people to stop using the terms to 'help dispel inherent assumptions that sharks are ravenous, mindless man-eating monsters'.
Officials have also changed the way shark attacks that result in injuries are described.
The government said its shark reports are now called 'incidents' or 'interactions
Advert
The state government in Queensland has a website dedicated to shark 'interactions'. SharkSmart describes how the risk of a 'negative encounter with a shark' can be minimised.
But despite the move being made towards the new terminology in some parts, it's not yet a nationwide thing.
Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said that in Victoria there has 'been no formal direction in this space', where they're still called shark attacks.
According to researchers, the negative connotations are quite a modern concept.
Advert
The more negative terms are a largely modern invention, according to researchers.
Christopher Pepin-Neff, from the University of Sydney, said before the 1930s shark attacks were called 'shark accidents'.
Eight people were killed in shark incidents in Australia last year.
And while the perception is something they want to change, the reality is that shark attacks do still happen.
Advert
Just recently, the 'luckiest man in the world' spoke out about his life or death encounter with a Great White Shark.
Nemanja Spasojevic, from San Francisco, US, was looking for crabs in Gray Whale Cove State Beach, California, when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his leg followed by a push.
The 38-year-old said it felt almost like a 'mosquito bite' until he turned around and saw the dead eyes of the powerful predator staring straight back at him.
Advert
Speaking to KPIX about the terrifying encounter, Nemanja said: "I yelled at the fisherman, 'Hey! Help! Shark attack!'
"It took some time to get his attention, but once he saw me I just kind of dropped onto the sand."
Fortunately, Nemanja was able to escape the waters with his life, suffering around a dozen puncture wounds to his thigh.
Featured Image Credit: PA