Scared of sharks? Take our quiz for, uh, reassurance.

An illustration of a woman reading a book in a red polka dotted tube while the shadow of a shark swims near her.
(Illustrations by Chelsea Conrad/The Washington Post)
Teddy Amenabar photo
By

White sharks are returning to Cape Cod to lunch on seals. Sand tiger sharks reportedly were biting July Fourth swimmers off the coast of Long Island. And sharks have been spotted swimming next to people in Florida and California.

Ask shark researchers about the risk of getting bitten, and they have an odd way of reassuring you. Chances are, they say, you’ve already been swimming with sharks and didn’t even know it!

In fact, one of the reasons researchers are so confident humans aren’t “on the menu” is because they’ve tracked how often sharks swim near people without biting them, said Neil Hammerschlag, the owner of Atlantic Shark Expeditions in Nova Scotia.

“We really try to impress on folks that these [shark bites] are mistakes, and they’re rare,” said Greg Skomal, a senior fisheries scientist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. “If they were intentional, we’d have a hell of a lot more.”

Still not convinced? Take the quiz below before you head to the beach.

Question 1 of 10

1. Of the more than 500 species of sharks, only three are responsible for most shark bites. Which of these sharks is not a frequent biter?

Question 2 of 10

2. Where was the shark bite capital of the world last year?

An illustration of a man standing in the water holding a boombox over his head with the lyrics of "Baby Shark" coming out of it.
Question 3 of 10

3. What is the best way to tell if a shark is swimming nearby?

Question 4 of 10

4. Which of these places are you least likely to encounter a white shark?

An illustration of a hammerhead shark holding a tri-fold tanning reflector.
Question 5 of 10

5. Which one of these statements about sharks is true?

Question 6 of 10

6. What can I do to reduce the chance of a shark encounter?

An illustration of a dolphin dresses up as a ghost saying "boo!"
Question 7 of 10

7. Are sharks scared of dolphins?

Question 8 of 10

8. Which of these water enthusiasts top the list for shark bites?

An illustration of a shark wearing a red napkin around it's neck with a fork and knife.
Question 9 of 10

9. When a shark bites a human, how many bites does the shark typically take?

Question 10 of 10

10. If a shark approaches, you should ...

Your shark IQ

7-10: Great job! You’ve been paying attention during Shark Week!

4-6: Not bad, but you probably won’t win on shark trivia night.

0-3: Needs work. “Jaws” was not a documentary.

And remember: The ancestors of today’s sharks were swimming before dinosaurs roamed. The sharks were here first.