Truth about sharks: Shedd Aquarium hopes to educate people about shark attacks
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Shark attacks and sighting have been making headlines lately, feeding into people's fears and raising concerns.
Experts at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium want to educate people and explain why sharks are so important to our ecosystem.
WATCH LIVE: Shedd Aquarium Shark Cam
ABC 7 Chicago's editor and photographer Casey Klaus has been volunteering at the Shedd's Caribbean Reef for years and shares the truth about sharks.
WATCH: Shedd volunteer talks about swimming with sharks
"I don't feel nervousness or concern when I'm diving with sharks," he said.
Klaus is a certified SCUBA diver. Every Monday, he volunteers to feed the sharks and other fish in the Caribbean Reef exhibit at the Shedd Aquarium. There, he gets face-to-face with many types of sharks.
"The first thing going through my head is, i'm just stopping and enjoying the beauty of this animal, because they really are very beautiful," he said.
Sharks are crucial for maintaining the ecological balance and health of their environments. The Shedd is leading efforts to study and save these important predators beyond the aquarium's walls and encouraging the public to get involved in their conservation.
"They do get a bad rap because every time a shark bites someone, it's usually out of mistaken identity," Klaus said. "The shark sees potential food and it turns out to be a human."
