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Shark Watch: What to do if you see a shark at the beach
The director of a renowned shark research center in California shared how to stay safe and the importance of not panicking if you encounter a shark at the beach this summer season.
Chris Lowe, the director of the Shark Lab at Cal State University (CSU) Long Beach, told Fox News Digital that sharks will act aggressively when they feel threatened by humans.
“If an animal feels threatened, it will act aggressively,” he said. “If you chase a cat down an alley, and you corner it, it will arch its back and raise its fur.
“It will act aggressively to try to scare you off,” Lowe said.
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The Shark Lab at Cal State Long Beach works to educate the public on sharks and reduce fear. (iStock)
Lowe said that through research at the Shark Lab, they have learned that sharks in Southern California are regularly around swimmers– and most of the time largely ignore humans.
“I think a lot of times when people see sharks in Southern California, it’s because the shark wants to be seen, like they will literally swim right in front of people,” he said. “And a lot of times, they’re very shy. They’re very coy.”
“We see many sharks just completely ignore people on the surface,” Lowe said.
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The shark researchers said that in the event you spot a shark, keep your eyes peeled on the predator.
“What we always tell people is to look, keep your eyes on the shark,” Lowe said. “Let the shark know you see it and track it.”
“If your face is in the water, follow the shark. It knows where your head is. It knows where your eyes are,” he said. “If you’re on your surfboard, turn your surfboard towards it. So the head of your surfboard acts like the head of an animal, and the shark feels like it’s being watched.”
Chris Lowe said that if you spot a shark, keep your eyes on it at all times. (Education Images/Universal Images Group)
Lowe said that if you lose track of the shark, look behind you because the predator is likely stalking you.
“If you lose sight of the shark, the first place you should always look is behind you, because that’s what all predators do,” he said. “If they’re going to investigate something, they’re going to investigate it from behind because that’s the safest way to do that.”
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Lowe said that an aggressive shark can be identified if it’s “rapidly coming in and then zipping away.”
“What an aggressive shark looks like is its rapidly coming in and then zipping away and coming in closer and zipping away or circling and getting closer and closer,” Lowe said.
He said that if the shark is swimming slowly, it could mean that it is just curious and not aggressive.
“But if they start picking up speed, that’s usually associated with aggression,” he said.
FILE – This photo taken on July 5, 2022, shows a sand tiger shark in the Scientific Center aquarium, in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait. (Asad/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Lowe said that shark aggression is typically associated with two reasons: for defensive reasons or if the predator is protecting its food source.
“There could be some food nearby that it’s trying to protect, and therefore it might be acting aggressively towards a person,” he said.
Lowe said that if a shark starts acting aggressive, they slowly back away without losing eye contact.
“Just keep slowly moving back, always facing the sharks, swimming away,” he said. “And then if you get out of the water, notify other people, let lifeguards know. Let other people in the water.”
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The Shark Lab at Cal State University (CSU) Long Beach tirelessly works to research shark behavior and inform the public.
Lowe said that the center has a variety of different ways to encounter the public and help them become more informed about shark activity and shark behavior.
“One way is through what we call, Shark Shacks,” he said. “The Shark Shacks are pop-ups at a bunch of beaches across Southern California several times during the summer.”
“We also have a big open house at the university on July 20th, which we call Sharks at the Beach,” he said. “So this is where we get to invite the community in to see the Shark Lab.”
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SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.
He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.
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In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.
“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.
A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.
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A registered sex offender convicted in a child sex abuse material case is seeking elected office in California — launching a campaign for Fresno City Council amid fierce backlash and renewed questions about whether someone with his record should hold public office.
Rene Campos, a Fresno native required to register as a sex offender, has announced plans to run for the District 7 seat on the Fresno City Council.
Campos was charged in 2018 with possession of child sex abuse material, according to court records. He has said he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and is now a registered sex offender.
His opponent, Nav Gurm, says the campaign has transformed what should be a local race focused on infrastructure and public safety into a national controversy.
Rene Campos in a 2018 booking photo related to a child sex abuse material possession case. Campos, now a registered sex offender, has launched a campaign for Fresno City Council. (State of California Department of Justice)
“His candidacy is a slap in the face to families and children in Fresno,” Gurm told Fox News Digital. “They deserve a councilmember who can show up at their schools and in their neighborhoods without restriction.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Campos defended his candidacy, arguing he has met all legal requirements.
“I satisfied every legal obligation imposed under the laws this state enacted for accountability and rehabilitation,” Campos said.
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The entrance to Fresno City Hall in Fresno, California. The District 7 City Council seat is up for election amid controversy surrounding a registered sex offender candidate. (James Ward, Visalia Times-Delta via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
“If those same laws can be set aside when politically inconvenient, then we are not debating one candidacy — we are testing whether the rule of law is stable or selective. Democracy depends on consistent standards. When eligibility shifts under pressure, public confidence weakens. Voters decide elections — not political preference.”
Under California law, registered sex offenders are not automatically barred from seeking or holding local office as long as they meet voter registration and residency requirements.
But Gurm argues that legality does not equate to fitness for office.
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“While it may not be a legal disqualification, it’s a disqualification in practice,” he said. “If you can’t fully participate in school events, youth gatherings and community activities, you can’t fully do the job.”
Gurm is urging state lawmakers to amend eligibility standards.
“I urge the Fresno City Council and the California State Legislature to push forward legislation making lifetime sex offender registration an explicit disqualification for holding public office,” he said.
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Nav Gurm, a candidate for Fresno City Council District 7, has called on his opponent to withdraw from the race amid controversy. (Nav Gurm for Fresno City Council Campaign Team)
The backlash has extended beyond campaign opponents.
Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi said he believes voters will reject Campos and suggested he would oppose him taking office if elected.
“When it comes to the safety and welfare of our children, your past matters,” Karbassi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “So long as I am Council President, I will not permit him to be seated on the Fresno City Council.”
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It remains unclear what legal authority, if any, the council president would have to prevent an elected candidate from assuming office.
Outgoing Councilman Nelson Esparza, who currently represents District 7 and is termed out, also criticized the campaign.
“Regardless of any rehabilitation, he needs to find a different line of work,” Esparza told Fox News Digital. “So much of what I do in this district is for and with respect to our children and youth. I don’t see any reasonable way someone with registered sex offender status could effectively do this job.”
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Esparza noted that councilmembers regularly participate in school initiatives and that children frequently visit City Hall for tours and meetings. He said councilmembers are examining possible municipal policy changes and urging legislative action at the state level.
The District 7 seat will open when Esparza’s term expires. Candidates face a filing deadline in early March, and the primary election is scheduled for June.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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