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Adorable Tiger Shark Encounter Shows They're Not As Dangerous As They Seem

Cute Shark Encounter Proves They're Not As Scary As They Seem

A diver's adorable encounter with a tiger shark shows that the animals aren't as scary as they seem.

Jim Abernethy, who hosts diving tours in the Bahamas' Tiger Beach, pulled a hook from a 15-foot tiger shark's jaw seven years ago, and since then the two have apparently become good friends.

A video posted to YouTube late last month shows Abernethy swimming and playing with Tarantino, so named because the shark enjoys playing with an underwater camera.

The video marked the first time that Tarantino had been seen at Tiger Beach in two years, and the shark doesn't appear to have forgotten the diver. She simply wouldn't leave Abernethy alone after he stroked her belly a few times.

Abernethy warned people not to try this themselves — "interaction with them requires years of training and experience," his website reads — but his encounter is nevertheless a reminder that we don't need to fear these animals as much as we have in the past.

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