'Intense': Wild moment tiger shark lunges at diver
A diver who clearly is quite comfortable with creatures of the deep had an incredible interaction with a tiger shark and passed on an important message for anyone hoping to follow in her footsteps.
Andy Fragola, the shark diver who goes by @andriana_marine on Instagram, regularly shares her interactions with the apex predators on social media.
One of her most recent videos showcased a heart-stopping interaction she had with a tiger shark.
In the video, the shark is seen coming straight for Ms Fragola, a sight that would likely terrify most people.
However, while she's still in the water she manages to gently push the shark away by its nose and it is quickly deterred and swims away from her.
In the caption of the video, Ms Fragola expressed her appreciation for the "challenging training moments" and how she values every "intense" hour in the water.
"Please do not attempt to swim with these large predators without a trained guide or the experience necessary to safely interact with them," she wrote.
"Sharks are not monsters but are capable and powerful animals that deserve immense respect. And that is one of the reasons I love them so much."
Learning to dive with sharks is 'humbling'
Ms Fragola has been studying and researching sharks for years and she is a shark safety diver in Hawaii, so people with no training should not attempt to seek out sharks in the ocean.
She said even when you get to an advanced level, you're still learning every day and she said every shark approach is different.
"You experience moments that completely humble you, and constantly show you that the sharks are the true leaders in this environment," she said.
"No matter how dominant you may think you are, sharks were made for the water and have evolved over millions of years to perfect their hunting performance. So it is always important to remember that it is THEIR ocean, and we are lucky to be able to share the water with them."
Last year, Ms Fragola made a video about what you should do if you encounter a tiger shark in the ocean, which is similar to what she did in the more recent video.
Ms Fragola previously said to make sure you maintain eye contact if a tiger shark was to come towards you and then reach your arm out and lock your elbow.
Then, you press your hand flat against the shark's head and then push them up and over.
She also said in this video back in 2021 that people should not seek out sharks in the ocean, the video was just to offer advice in case people happen upon a tiger shark by accident.
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