Every time a person dives into the ocean or paddles out to catch a wave, they're entering a shark's habitat, and at times unknowingly swimming alongside one of the top predators in the water. For many swimmers, the fear of sharks has been prevalent ever since Jaws hit the big screen in 1975 and there have been multiple attacks this summer, including on Wednesday afternoon in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. So, what are the actual risks of swimming in the ocean and where are swimmers more likely to encounter the ocean predator? A person has a one in 3,748,067 chance of being attacked by a shark, according to the Florida Museum's international shark attack file. You actually have a higher chance of winning $10,000 in the Mega Millions lottery than you do of being attacked by a shark. You know that awesome photo you're trying to capture for your Instagram followers? It's possibly more dangerous than swimming in a shark's home. In 2016, the MIT Technology Review found that 73 people died while taking a selfie and only four people died from a shark attack, according to Earth Sky. New York City is often cited as being a dangerous place, but the concrete jungle has got to be safer than getting into the water where sharks could be lurking, right? Well, in 1987 there were only 13 injuries caused by a shark bite throughout the United States. In New York City, there were 1,587 injuries caused by a human biting another human, according to the Florida Museum. Staying out of the water because of your fear of sharks? Well, you may actually be safer taking a dip. From 1990 to 2006, the Florida Museum discovered that there were 16 fatalities because of sand hole collapses and only 11 fatalities from shark attacks. You're also far more likely to die from a fall – a one in 218 chance – than you are to die from a shark attack. Sharks aren't even the biggest danger to humans in the ocean. In 2014, there were eight shark attack fatalities compared to 361 fatalities that were caused by rip currents. While the risk is extremely low, there are some areas where an attack is more likely to occur than others. Casino.org found that swimmers in Florida have the greatest chance of being attacked, but the odds are still only one in 2,534,300. Massachusetts' attack on Wednesday was rare and Casino.org's data shows the likelihood of an attack is only a one in 98,000,000 chance. The organization's research found that the 10 states, including Florida, where attacks are most likely are: Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Oregon, California, Rhode Island, Georgia, New Jersey, and Alabama. Of the coast states included in Casino.org's research, swimmers in Washinton state are least likely to be attacked and have only a one in 740,600,000 chance. In 2017, the Florida Museum reported that shark attacks only occurred in eight of America's 50 states, including: Florida: 31 attacks South Carolina: 10 attacks Hawaii: six attacks California: two attacks Massachusetts: one attack North Carolina: one attack Texas: one attack Virginia: one attack The frequency of shark attacks is on the rise, but that's doesn't mean sharks are becoming more aggressive or are suddenly targeting humans. As the population grows and more people enter the water, the Florida Museum has found that the number of attacks increases as well. In Florida, which often leads the country with regards to attacks, National Geographic found that the most attacks occur in September. A swimmer also increases their chances of being attacked by swimming at dawn or dusk when sharks are often feeding, and when they're swimming alone because sharks are more likely to attack an individual than a group. Shiny jewelry can also increase the possibility of an attack, perhaps because light reflecting from metal can remind a shark of fish scales. Several mobile phone applications including Dorsal and Sharktivity are also hoping to curb attacks by keeping swimmers informed of where sharks have recently been spotted. Despite a public fear of being attacked, the risk of it happening is actually quite slim and National Geographic even noted that anyone who has been in the water at New Smyrna Beach in Florida, has likely been within 10 feet of a shark without ever knowing. Given the statistics of how deadly the world can be, it seems a quote attributed to Gertrude Stein may categorize our daily existence best, "Nothing is really so very frightening when everything is so very dangerous."<doc-sep>Shaken beachgoers described how a carefree day at a remote Cape Cod beach took a horrific turn when attacked and a 61-year-old man Wednesday. The victim, William Lytton, of Scarsdale, N.Y., remained in serious condition Thursday afternoon at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Marc Charbonneau, 56, of Montreal said Thursday on Long Nook Beach that he had seen Lytton swimming by himself in the water there Wednesday afternoon. Because it was high tide, the water was “way over his head,” Charbonneau said. Lytton was swimming near seals, said Charbonneau and a friend, Kevin Cox, 69, of North Carolina. They said Lytton swam past them, parallel to the shore. Cox said Lytton was beyond the seals. Advertisement Not long afterward, beachgoers sprang into action when it became clear that a shark had wounded Lytton. A man who declined to give his name said he and his family had just pulled into the parking lot when a woman ran up a steep bluff and yelled, “Does anybody have a cellphone? There’s been a shark attack.” The man later saw about 10 people carrying Lytton from the water. Lytton was wrapped in a towel, the man said, and when it slipped he saw “a pattern of red marks” on his leg. Charbonneau said he and his son were among the people who helped carry Lytton up the narrow path that cuts through the bluff. Lytton, Charbonneau said, had deep marks “all over” his right leg, rear end, and left hand. Joanne Fredericks, Charbonneau’s wife, said she tried to comfort a distraught woman after the attack. “She came up crying there,” Fredericks said. “She thought maybe he lost a limb or something.” Michael Sheridan of Philadelphia said Wednesday night that he had been at Long Nook with his family for about 15 minutes when he saw people running. Some headed toward Lytton in the water, while others ran toward the parking lot because they had no cell service and wanted to call 911. Advertisement Lytton left a trail of blood on the sand, Sheridan said, and the gash was deep, located right below the “left hip and upper-quad area.” “You could almost see his bone,” Sheridan said. He said Lytton was conscious but didn’t say much as the group carried him up the hill that separates the beach from the lot. Several people were holding the edges of the towel, Sheridan said. “I thought he was dying right there,” he said. “I thought he was going to bleed out on this beach.” Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.<doc-sep>It is unclear if the two are separate white sharks, or the same white shark. A Massachusetts town shut down its beaches after a great white shark was sighted near a cliff on Monday afternoon, not long after a beach was cleared after a sighting as well. It is unclear if these are two separate white sharks or the same white shark. The Harbormaster of the town of Plymouth tweeted at about 2.30 p.m. that there had been a confirmed white shark sighting off Manomet Point, a popular spot for bird, seal, and whale watchers. "Town beaches are closed at this time with red flags flying. Harbormaster crew to the area to investigate. Keep a sharp lookout and report all sightings," Plymouth Harbor wrote in the tweet. In the same area, Marconi Beach was temporarily closed after a great white shark sighting at about 1.30 p.m., ABC affiliate WCVB in Boston reported. The sighting was reported by the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity map. White shark sightings off Massachusetts have become frequent in recent summers, but this is natural for two reasons, said George Burgess, director emeritus of the International Shark Attack File maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History. One, the temperature of the water near the Massachusetts coast at this time hovers just below 20 degrees Celsius -- cool enough for the sharks to be comfortable in, and warm enough for the more adventurous humans to venture into. There's bound to be some overlap and sightings as our population continues to increase, he said. Two, due to successful conservation efforts in recent decades, the population of seal colonies, once endangered, is beginning to be re-established and this attracts great whites looking for a hearty meal. "This is good news," Burgess said. "Our conservation efforts are working. Now, it's our job to adapt."<doc-sep>
A man was bitten by a shark off a Cape Cod beach in Massachusetts today. The story is updated here as of 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday. These are the latest Massachusetts shark attack updates: *The victim, a 61-year-old man, was conscious, according to The Associated Press. "They were conscious and talking, so we're hoping for the best," Truro Fire Chief Timothy Collins said. *The man was "seemingly too far out" from the beach, and was seen after an apparent bite "lying on the beach with a large, rectangular gash in his leg. One person said one of the man's hands also appeared mangled," according to the AP. The man was reportedly swimming in the water or standing, about 300 feet offshore, and bitten today around 4:30 p.m. ET, according to a report from NECN. The news site said Truro, Massachusetts police confirmed the bite. The injured person, reportedly a 61-year-old man, was bitten in the leg, according to WCVB. An emergency services helicopter was on the scene. CBS Boston reports it was a surfer. NECN said that the victim suffered "deep puncture wounds" in the shark attack. The site published a video of officials on the scene. The Truro, Massachusetts area has seen an increase in its seal population, which has conversely attracted more great white sharks since the seals are a primary food source. Last summer a white shark took a bite out of a paddleboard just off Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, throwing its rider into the water, reported NBC Boston, noting that "only recently have (white sharks) been catalogued in large numbers off Cape Cod during the summer." There hasn't been a fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936, NBC Boston reported and the last great white attack in the state was in 2012, near Truro. The man bitten in the shark attack today was treated at the scene by paramedics and flown by helicopter to the Tufts Medical Center in Boston, according to the Boston Globe. Last week two Cape Cod beaches were closed for great white shark sightings. The sightings came days after a scientist posted a viral video off the Massachusetts coast of a great white lurching toward him from the water. The sightings came one day after a scientist made viral news with a video of a great white leaping from the water toward him. That video was shared by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. "He came right over to the boat," said Nick Kraszyk, one of the fishermen on board when the great white approached off Cape Cod, according to NBC. "He was a little bit curious, and when he realized that we weren't anything special, he just turned and headed off, couldn't find him anymore." Last week the Meadow Beach in Truro was closed for an hour after a sighting around 11:30 a.m. Eastern. The day before Marconi Beach was closed to swimming for an hour Monday due to a shark sighting.