Enormous fish with similarly large mouths and vicious teeth are known as barracudas. A typical mature barracuda weighs up to 20 pounds and ranges in size from 24 to 91 inches.
Observing these things up close can be quite frightful and unsettling. This may prompt you to ponder if barracudas are harmful.
Barracudas often do not pose a threat to people since they do not view them as prey. Only two of the about 25 known barracuda attacks on humans over the past century have been fatal. The majority of these attacks, meanwhile, happened after the fish had already been startled and merely reacted defensively.
Being harmless and rarely assaulting, however, are two distinct things. If you want to learn more about barracudas, their disposition, and the best way to keep safe around them, make sure you read all the way through.
Can Barracudas Be Deadly?
Although barracudas are not often deadly to people, they can be if threatened. They would attack you without hesitation, but that is to be anticipated when a wild animal feels threatened by an alien presence in its territory.
A barracuda assault survivor claims that barracuda attacks take place in bubbles. You wouldn’t even be aware when it hits you because everything happens fairly instantly. You will only be able to make out a shattered flipper, a piece of missing flesh, and a sizable pool of blood in the water.
They may rest eerily still on the water floor one moment and then suddenly appear on your hand or thigh.
Does this imply that swimming close to a barracuda is dangerous?
The scenario mentioned above is a rare occurrence; therefore, if you inquire with experts about whether snorkeling with barracudas is safe, you will likely receive a positive response.
After all, the most well-known vacation spots appear to contain barracudas.
Are Barracudas More Dangerous Than Sharks?
No. Barracudas are not more of a threat than sharks. A barracuda is considerably less powerful and hazardous than a shark due to its lower size.
A shark bite can be fatal; even less dangerous instances might result in losing a limb or requiring major surgery.
A barracuda bite, on the other hand, is not as deadly. A barracuda attack can result in a significant gap in the affected area, some damaged tendons, and a sprain, but that’s about the worst that can happen.
If a barracuda bites you, there’s a good probability it thought you were its typical target and will likely release you as soon as it realizes.
Since they do not simply jump on whatever life form they chance to come upon on the ocean floor, sharks are unique among marine animals.
The likelihood that a shark will let you go after inspecting you and marking you as prey is quite low if it bites you.
Are Barracudas Aggressive?
Barracudas are often not a hazard to humans but can be hostile. Barracudas may become aggressive if they observe or perceive threatening activities in the murky water.
They will assume that a predator or prey is moving in these situations. They will naturally be hostile; bad luck if you were the one who started the trouble.
Barracudas are primarily scavengers; thus, when they must steal kills from other fish or protect their kill from being stolen, they are pretty aggressive. If they notice any kills on a hunter’s spear or if light reflects off of its metal surface, they may even attack it.
Barracudas may also get aggressive if you endanger them by approaching them too closely or acting in a way that makes you appear to be a threat.
But if you just carry on as you normally would, you wouldn’t have to worry about a hostile barracuda.
Do Barracudas Attack Humans?
Although infrequently, sharks can attack people. However, the risk of a barracuda attacking a person is influenced by several variables, including geography.
For instance, snorkelers in the West Indies are more likely to experience a barracuda assault than those in Hawaiian waters.
Additionally, unlike sharks, barracudas are not highly intelligent creatures. They make snap decisions and cope with the fallout after the damage has already been done.
Due to poor sight, a person could be attacked by a barracuda in murky water. In addition, when threatened, barracudas may opt to defend themselves through violence. Additionally, remember that barracudas may not always be seen as a food source but rather as rivals or predators.
Be prepared to fight if barracudas feel you are interfering with their eating ability. Nothing can stop them from slouching at you, not even a hook in their mouth.
According to reports, barracudas have been spotted shooting at the fisherman who snatched their prey while soaring out of the water with hooks in their mouths.
Two deaths from barracuda attacks were documented in the middle of the twentieth century. But the deaths were not ultimately due to the attacks.
These barracuda attacks did not result in death from a barracuda’s lethal bite or being consumed alive, but rather from profuse bleeding.
There have only been 25 confirmed barracuda attacks on people in the last 100 years. A shark attack is more likely to happen to you than a barracuda assault.
Some claim that your chances of experiencing a lightning strike are higher than those of a barracuda attack.
Barracudas typically spent their time snooping on and following unwary snorkelers up and down.
The real story of the “ferocious hunters” has yet to be disclosed or substantiated, and it is believed that some barracuda attacks have not been recorded.
Do Barracudas Bite Humans?
Barracudas do indeed bite people. However, Barracudas do not bite because they want to consume you, as previously indicated. In particular, if you smell like fish, a barracuda might investigate if you are real prey or not.
A barracuda’s bite is no joke, even if it is not fatal. Their prey may be tightly grasped thanks to their teeth set up and positioned.
Because barracudas have teeth that face inward, their prey cannot escape until they make an effort to be set free.
A fish might be unable to escape the walls of sharp teeth alive, but a person can. However, they will continue to live with the wounds to tell the tale.
The nerves and tendons in hand can be torn or broken by just one barracuda bite. Your entire hand can end up tasting like minced meat after a few more barracuda bites.
What Should You Do If You Encounter A Barracuda?
Barracudas may be rather frightful due to their intimidating size and razor-sharp fangs. You are aware of the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” though.
Barracudas typically follow strange objects out of genuine curiosity rather than a desire to frighten you.
Therefore, you should maintain your composure and go about your business if a barracuda is following you (I know it sounds impossible and like too much to ask considering how they look).
Before going on, barracudas will circle you in the water.
However, if you handled fish before entering the water, a barracuda could as well be hanging out for the right opportunity to jump on your mouthwateringly perfumed palm.
When you come across a barracuda, you should also rapidly check to see whether you are wearing any flashy jewelry and if so, put it away immediately.
In conclusion, prevent a situation of mistaken identity by avoiding the school of fish, murky waters, and shiny items nearby.
In Conclusion
Barracudas generally do not pose a hazard to people. But as I said, there are a lot of things that might derail that story. An enraged barracuda may suddenly attack you, causing mayhem.
Avoiding shiny things, never swimming with an open wound, never swimming in the ocean after capturing or frying fish, and never attempting to frighten a barracuda are the best ways to avoid attacks.
As wild animals, barracudas are unpredictable, so keep that in mind. There is a distinction between an animal rarely attacking and being innocuous.
