‘Shark Week’ host Forrest Galante explains why crushing beers in the ocean is a bad idea

The most wonderful time of the year: “Shark Week.”

It’s that annual period when Americans gather around TV sets to learn everything there is to know about the ocean’s apex predators and ask ourselves why we’re stupid enough to swim in the ocean.

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But fortunately for those of us who don’t want to be the subject of a future “Shark Week” documentary, wildlife biologist, conservationist and TV host Forrest Galante has some simple advice.

galante recently joined OutKick Outdoors We’ll talk about shark attacks, shark behavior, and the upcoming Discovery special “Alien Sharks: Untamed America.” While he emphasized that the odds of a negative shark encounter are already extremely slim, he said beachgoers can make those odds even better by using a little common sense.

“You know, the best thing you can do is educate yourself,” Galante said. “Think about where you’re going. Find out what the species are.”

If you’re looking for some general guidelines before your next beach trip, Galante suggested a few.

Do not swim during feeding time

“Don’t go into the water at dawn or dusk,” Galante said.

Sharks are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. This is when they are more likely to feed closer to shore; This is also where people tend to splash around during their summer holidays.

Experts noted that human encounters rarely lead to bites, even in waters where sharks frequent. (iStock)

Stay away from river mouths

“Don’t swim near river mouths,” Galante said. “That’s when the sharks feed.”

Estuaries can attract forage fish and other food sources, which in turn can attract sharks. If there’s one place where sharks are more likely to naturally congregate, it’s probably not the place to wander around with a drink in your hand and your guard down.

Don’t swim alone

“Don’t go swimming alone,” Galante said.

This is one of the tips that applies to almost every outdoor activity. Walking alone, riding a boat alone, swimming alone; All of these increase the risk.

Palm Beach has been closed as beaches north of Sydney have been closed since Tuesday due to shark attacks and dangerous currents during the summer months in Sydney, Australia, on January 22, 2026. (Corbis via Getty Images)

Galante said there’s another simple tip beachgoers should pay attention to.

“If you don’t see anyone on the beach, it’s generally not a good place to go swimming,” he said.

Do not swim where people are fishery

“On the other side of this, don’t go swimming where people are fishing, throwing bait into the water, things like that,” Galante said.

This should be obvious, but apparently we need to say it anyway. If people are actively throwing shark food into the water, you can bet sharks will probably be there too.

Be careful with shiny jewelry

Sharks do not prey on humans but are curious predators. And sometimes something as simple as a flash of light can catch their attention.

“Wearing something extremely shiny, like jewelry, sequins, or anything with small mirrors that block out the light, can look like a school of baitfish,” Galante said.

This is important because, according to Galante, shark attacks on humans often occur because the shark thinks you are something else.

“They say 99% of shark bites are cases of mistaken identity,” he said. “You see a shiny piece of jewelry or something, and the shark says: ‘Wow, is that food?’ Unfortunately, when a shark asks the question ‘Is this food?’ They do this by taking an investigative bite.”

FORREST GALANTE SAYS FLORIDA ATTACKS LEAD U.S., MOST SHARK BITES ARE CASES OF MISSED IDENTITY

This is where things can go very wrong.

“They don’t have hands,” Galante said. “They can’t feel it, so the probe bite can be very, very damaging and in some cases fatal.”

Leave your drinks on dry land

This is what might surprise people. According to Galante, even some sounds can attract the shark’s attention.

“The crackle of a water bottle, or even the crackle of a beer can, is like the crackle of a shark’s fishbone and might get them to come investigate,” he said.

Friends take selfie on the beach while enjoying vacation together and drinking beer by the ocean during summer vacation. (Getty Images)

Relax… sharks still don’t want to eat you

Galante made it clear that most sharks do not seek out humans as prey.

“Most of the time we’re not even on the menu,” Galante said. “They’re just trying to figure out if we are.”

So no matter what horrors you see on your TV screen this week, there’s no need to cancel your beach trip.

“Just taking a few very simple precautions can greatly reduce the already very slim chance of a negative encounter,” Galante said.

Galante’s Shark Week special, “Alien Sharks: Untamed America,” premieres Wednesday on Discovery and Max. This special follows him across the United States in search of some of the strangest and least known shark species living in American waters; These include glow-in-the-dark puffer sharks, seagrass-eating bonnethead sharks, giant basking sharks and sawfish that look like something out of Star Wars.

In his new special, Forrest Galante scoured US waters in search of rare shark species, including off the coast of Massachusetts (seen here). (Forrest Galante)

“We have some of the coolest, biggest, smallest, weirdest and most weird and incredible sharks in the United States,” Galante said.

This is great.

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Maybe don’t go looking for them at dusk while wearing sequins and crushing a beer can.

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