Shark researchers from Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab have been reassessing the threat posed by sharks to swimmers and surfers at local beaches.

Huntington Beach, CA - July 18: Cal State University Long Beach Shark Lab student assistant Sara Stamos holds a Mako shark eye before giving a shark education presentation to Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguards at the Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguard Headquarters in Huntington Beach Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Lifeguards are a key part of the education since they interact with the public, and they make decisions about when to order people in in the event of a shark sighting. Shark researchers from Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab have been reassessing the threat posed by sharks to swimmers and surfers at local beaches. Turns out there are a lot more sharks around SoCal than previously realized, and they say they tend to leave people alone. They say that means it's not necessary to call everyone out of the water every time there's a shark sighting. It's a hard message for people to digest. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)