This is the bizarre moment a daredevil diver slashes open his own wrist in shark-filled waters to prove a very dangerous point.
The chilling clip, which was posted on Facebook, begins with a close-up of Skyler Thomas, the owner of White Shark Video, brandishing a knife for the camera.
As the camera pulls away, it becomes quickly clear he is completely surrounded by a swarm of terrifying looking Blacktip sharks, in waters off South Africa.
He then proceeds to do the unimaginable by cutting open his own wrist twice to let blood fill the waters surrounding him.
Thomas then holds his bloody arm out to the passing sharks — but attracts absolutely no reaction from the passing predators.
Text on the video reads: “Sharks: They can smell one drop of blood in an Olympic-size swimming pool, which means they can smell everything else too – such as things they actually care about, which does not include you.”
Thomas later said: “I made the video partially inspired by the fact that Shark Week programs love to spew stupid stuff such as the ability for sharks to smell our blood.
“I’ve never believed this to be true, but saying so doesn’t get the point across the way showing people does, so I made the film.
“It is quite egotistical (and fear-based) to think a shark is going to drop everything it’s doing, ignore all the other smells in the ocean, and come after us.”
Thomas said he performed the experiment two days in a row, and spent nearly an hour in the water each day.
Thomas continued: “After hearing both Shark Week and The Natal Sharks Board brainwash people with fear of sharks I asked to borrow a knife and decided to demonstrate the foolishness of this often repeated shark fable.
“No matter how well they can smell, we’re still not on their menu.”
Comments on the White Shark Video Facebook page ranged from those thanking Thomas for helping to dispel misconceptions about sharks to those suggesting he up his game.
Thomas said: “Critics are saying I should do the video with tigers, bulls, and white sharks. I’m happy to – they just need to raise funds for the trip.”
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