French trans basketball player Julie Tétart is waiting for a call from one of the inclusive WNBA teams who needs a 6'3 scoring and rebo...

French trans phenom Julie Tétart looks WNBA-ready — so why hasn’t the ‘inclusive’ league called?

French trans basketball player Julie Tétart is waiting for a call from one of the inclusive WNBA teams who needs a 6'3 scoring and rebounding machine.

During the 2025-26 season for a club team in Monaco, Tétart dominated the second-tier French women's basketball Ligue 2 by dropping 21 points per game while grabbing 20 rebounds. The biological male, who came out as trans in October 2021, led the league in both categories. It was as season unlike any the Ligue 2 had ever seen.

With those numbers, the WNBA should be knocking down Tétart's door, right?

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS OUT TO PROTECT GIRLS AS WNBA ALL-STAR INITIATIVE BACKS ‘GENDER-EXPANSIVE’ GROUP

"If they contact me, I won't say no. But you have to be realistic: I'm old, and there are far better players than me!" the overly humble 34-year-old Tétart told OutKick in French over Instagram direct messages on Monday.

Far better? Are you sure?

Tétart's season was so dominant that French media was stunned when the shredded center didn't win league MVP honors. The season was still good enough to win Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Domestic Player of the Year.

Woke WNBA fans swear there's no clear and present trans danger to biological women. They swear this is some sort of delusion cooked up by MAGA.

RILEY GAINES SAYS WNBA IS 'HELLBENT' ON BEING AN ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION OVER A BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Meanwhile, Tétart destroyed Ligue 2 so badly that there were collusion allegations being made against league captains and coaches who voted on the MVP award.

Those same voters are alleged to have excluded 43-year-old trans player Aurore Pautou (14.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG) from winning postseason awards. French trans groups are furious. "Despite top-tier athletic performance on the court during the 2025/2026 season by Julie and Aurore, voters for the Ligue 2 Féminine de Basket Awards deliberately decided not to grant them any awards," activist group TRANSpire cried on Instagram.

Former WNBA player Audrey Sauret, who's French, spoke out in April after the MVP drama and sounded a warning to leagues around the world as to what's coming if they don't protect biological females.

"Ligue 2 serves as a kind of testing ground, to introduce trendy ideas, but by allowing them to participate in professional competitions, we create unfair competition, especially for younger players," Sauret wrote. "This can close doors and discourage aspiring athletes. This situation risks becoming commonplace, even if it’s regulated. Men and women aren’t built the same way. Changing hormones doesn’t erase gender differences. I regret that this issue wasn’t addressed much sooner."

TRANS ATHLETE WINS NEW YORK STATE GIRLS' SHOT PUT TITLE, BEATING SECOND PLACE BY MORE THAN 2 FEET

During a March game that should've been a trans showdown, Tétart had 21 points and 30 rebounds, which was a new league record, breaking the previous record of 25 rebounds (Tétart held that record, as well), but Pautou didn't play.

The question we had for Tétart was simple: Would you ever consider trying out for the inclusive WNBA? The trans scoring and rebounding machine seemed confused at first before realizing we were 100% serious.

"Obviously, it's a childhood dream just like for any female basketball player, but unfortunately, it's not possible," the French native wrote back.

Wait a minute, why not? The WNBA is inclusive. What are we missing here?

WNBA COMMISSIONER VOWS TO CRACK DOWN ON 'RACISM, MISOGYNY,' DODGES BIG QUESTIONS AT ALL-STAR PRESS CONFERENCE

"The league, yes. The country, no, haha," Tétart fired back while hinting at some sort of problem with Donald Trump's presidency.

When pressed on what would need to change politically in the U.S., Tétart stopped playing games with me, finally admitting that if a WNBA call came, it would be time to talk business: "I won't say no."

As for Sophie Cunningham's stance that biological males need to stay out of women's sports, I gave Tétart a chance to respond. "Aucun," the French stat stuffer replied.

Translation: "None."

Imagine a Tétart vs. Cunningham matchup in 2027. It's time for the WNBA to once and for all prove just how inclusive it is. Tétart's DMs are wide open.



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Netflix has replaced Kay Adams with former ESPN host Elle Duncan as its lead NFL studio host for the upcoming season. On Monday, the stream...

Netflix replaces fan-favorite football host with unpopular, far-left personality

Netflix has replaced Kay Adams with former ESPN host Elle Duncan as its lead NFL studio host for the upcoming season.

On Monday, the streamer announced its studio team for the Week 1 broadcast on Sept. 10, when it will exclusively stream the 49ers vs. Rams from Melbourne, Australia. Duncan will host alongside desk analysts Michael Irvin, Nick Foles, and Clay Matthews.

While Netflix signed Duncan earlier this year to be the face of its sports division, there was at least some question about whether she'd also take over NFL hosting responsibilities, a role Adams held the past two seasons.

The decision is also questionable.

Kay Adams is a fan favorite and one of the best NFL hosts in the industry. If a network with NFL rights were building for the future, it'd likely rank Adams second only to ESPN's Laura Rutledge as its ideal lead host.

By contrast, Duncan is a toxic figure. She is best known at ESPN for reportedly convincing executives that Sage Steele was "not black enough" to participate in a social justice special, protesting Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law live on ESPN, and encouraging fathers to support their daughters' abortions from the SportsCenter set.

USA TODAY REPORTER APOLOGIZES FOR INVOKING EMMETT TILL IN COLUMN ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK AFTER UPSETTING THE WOKE

Last week, Duncan blamed Caitlin Clark and her fans for the ongoing turmoil surrounding the WNBA, just days after USA Today shamefully suggested Clark's on-court antics could lead to the lynching of Black people.

Duncan then criticized Clark for not telling fans not to "use her name" to spread hate, despite Clark doing exactly that.

"People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It's disappointing. It's not acceptable," Clark said in 2024. "Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, it's just a basic human thing that everybody should do."

Notice Duncan hasn't called on Angel Reese to condemn those using her name to justify similar bigotry, namely the racially charged attacks directed at Clark and her fans.

Duncan is a bad-faith actress. She is dishonest. And her presence on Netflix inevitably politicizes the broadcast.

Netflix has already faced deserved criticism for its sports coverage, often turning live events into infomercials for its entertainment division.

ELLE DUNCAN BLAMES CAITLIN CLARK, HER FANS FOR MEDIA SMEAR CAMPAIGN WHILE IGNORING FACTS

Longtime sports radio host Dan Patrick criticized the company's approach during the Home Run Derby last month.

"I'd like to think I'm at least socially aware of sporting events, but I had no idea," Patrick said. "And then all of a sudden, it's like Netflix, and then you had Will Ferrell show up, you had Bonds and Pujols, and I'm like, OK. They're trying. Netflix is trying, trying different things. Now, sometimes you can try too hard. Sometimes you can try to dress something up, and you really don't need to."

Adams, at least, kept the focus on football, a sport she has covered for years. Duncan has little connection to the leagues Netflix carries, namely the NFL and MLB.

Fans will already be annoyed that they need yet another streaming service to watch Week 1 of the NFL season. Wait until they finally log in and hear Duncan screeching, probably about the fact that the Rams-49ers game features two White quarterbacks and head coaches.

Yes, she is one of those.

Adams is a good football host. Replacing her with Duncan raises questions about how much merit and audience preference factor into Netflix's programming decisions.

We suspect not much.



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Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made her position clear Sunday afternoon. Reeve wore a shirt reading "Trans Kids Belong" u...

Cheryl Reeve sends clear message to Sophie Cunningham with ‘Trans Kids Belong’ shirt during Fever-Lynx game

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made her position clear Sunday afternoon.

Reeve wore a shirt reading "Trans Kids Belong" underneath her blazer while coaching against Sophie Cunningham's Indiana Fever at Target Center. There’s no reason to pretend the timing was coincidental.

TRANS ACTIVISTS HARASS, HURL SLURS AT SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SUPPORTERS BEFORE FEVER GAME IN MINNESOTA

Reeve had already addressed the transgender-athlete debate before the game, saying she comes from "a space of inclusion," that "we need to protect trans kids" and that "every kid has a right to sports." Her comments came with another rally supporting Cunningham’s position taking place outside the arena before the Fever-Lynx matchup. Then, Reeve carried the message onto the sideline.

Of course, she has every right to wear the shirt. The Lynx have every right to support her. But it was also an unmistakable response to Cunningham, who has spent the past two weeks taking heavy criticism for saying girls and women shouldn’t have to compete against biological men or share locker rooms with them.

Why anyone feels the need to argue against Cunningham's common-sense take is another matter. But it's also important to note that Cunningham never said transgender kids don’t belong in sports, society or anywhere else. In fact, she said she had "never once" expressed hatred toward transgender people and argued that there is room for everyone. Her position was more specific: "I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men."

Reeve’s shirt collapsed that distinction into a progressive slogan.

By wearing "Trans Kids Belong" while coaching against Cunningham, Reeve implied that Cunningham’s position is about excluding transgender children entirely. It isn’t. Cunningham drew a line at participation in girls’ and women’s sports and access to female locker rooms.

That position is not only reasonable, but the position the majority of Americans hold.

FEVER SHUT DOWN SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM QUESTIONS, ABRUPTLY END PRESS CONFERENCE

To Reeve’s credit, she acknowledged before the game that the issue becomes more complicated after puberty and when Olympic spots or scholarships are involved. She argued that people should find common ground rather than make exclusion the answer. That is a more nuanced argument than the shirt conveyed.

Still, Cunningham didn’t say trans kids don’t belong. So, Reeve answered the argument she wanted Cunningham to make rather than the one Cunningham actually made.

That would have been an obvious subject to ask Reeve about after the game. Fox News Digital and OutKick tried to be there to ask those questions, but the Lynx denied our credential request.

The request was submitted July 30 for an Aug. 2 game. The Lynx’s stated deadline was 5 p.m. on Aug. 1, meaning the application arrived more than two days before the game and well before the deadline. The denial didn’t cite timing, capacity or any other specific reason.

After I posted about the denial on social media, several WNBA reporters and fans celebrated it. Some argued that local beat writers should receive priority. Others suggested that outlets should only receive access if their reporters regularly attend practices and ask questions about basketball.

The first point is reasonable. Local reporters who cover a team every day should be prioritized.

But "prioritized" and "exclusively credentialed" aren’t the same thing. Fox News Digital and OutKick regularly cover the WNBA, and I was credentialed for both the 2026 NBA Finals and the 2026 Final Four despite not working as a full-time beat reporter for the NBA or college basketball.

So, are regular-season WNBA games really a more exclusive media credential than the NBA Finals or Final Four?

More importantly, the "stick to basketball" defense completely fell apart the moment Reeve walked onto the sideline wearing that shirt. If reporters are only supposed to ask about basketball, why is the head coach using a WNBA game to make a statement about one of the country’s most contentious social debates?

WNBA SUDDENLY WANTS TO STICK TO BASKETBALL AFTER YEARS OF MAKING POLITICS PART OF THE PRODUCT

Reeve didn’t wear a shirt about transition defense. She didn’t promote rebounding or ball movement. She used the sideline to send a message about transgender children while coaching against the player at the center of the league’s transgender-athlete controversy.

Again, that’s her right. But once she makes the statement during the game, questions about that statement become relevant to the game.

The Lynx were asked whether Reeve’s shirt was intended as a response to Cunningham’s comments and whether the organization approved or coordinated the decision and endorsed the message. The team didn’t respond before publication.

Perhaps Reeve would have said the shirt had nothing to do with Cunningham. That would be difficult to believe given the opponent, her comments before the game and the controversy surrounding the Fever’s road trip, but she deserved the opportunity to explain it.

We also deserved the opportunity to ask.

Instead, WNBA defenders celebrated a credential denial while insisting reporters should focus on basketball, then watched a head coach turn the sideline into a platform for a social message. The league and its teams routinely promote inclusion, open dialogue and the importance of athletes and coaches using their platforms. Those principles seem to become much less important when the questions might challenge the preferred position.

Reeve was free to wear the shirt. The Lynx were free to deny the credential. And WNBA reporters were free to cheer that decision.

But taken together, the message was clear: approved social statements belong on the sideline.

Uncomfortable questions don’t.



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Soviet-born author and political analyst Michael Malice warned that America experienced what he described as a dangerous shift toward Soviet...

Soviet-born analyst exposes how pandemic-era neighbor snitching unlocked a 'nature of evil' in America

Soviet-born author and political analyst Michael Malice warned that America experienced what he described as a dangerous shift toward Soviet-style informant tactics during the pandemic, as citizens willingly turned in their neighbors for violating lockdown rules.

Speaking on the "Planet Tyrus" podcast, Malice argued that authoritarian regimes don't rely solely on military force, but on the participation of civilians as well.

"I think the first time Americans realized the nature of evil was during COVID. Because COVID was the first time we saw in this country, people were turning in their neighbors and were bragging about it," Malice said, adding, "They were happy: 'I got this cashier fired.' That was very Soviet."

FAUCI PRIVATELY TOOK CREDIT FOR COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS DESPITE PUBLIC DENIAL, NEWLY EXPOSED DIARY ENTRIES REVEAL

"So that was the first time I think Americans realized that these systems, which are dictatorial, it's not through force. It's the fact that small-minded people are tripping over themselves to implement these dictatorships and turn in their neighbors," he said.

Malice is the author of "The White Pill," a book about the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and the tactics used during that period. He compared the pandemic response to that of authoritarian regimes.

Criticism of the pandemic response has resurged in recent days after Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served as one of the nation's leading public health officials during the COVID-19 pandemic, appeared before Congress on Wednesday.

JONATHAN TURLEY: FAUCI TAKES THE FIFTH 111 TIMES – AND THE MEDIA STILL RUSH TO DEFEND HIM

Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions.

Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators took to social media after the hearing to criticize the months-long shutdown, recounting arrests and threats against those who disobeyed lockdown orders.

"Dr. Fauci isn't the only guilty one," Rep. Lance Gooden wrote on X. "Democrats went as far as filling outdoor skate parks with sand to enforce their draconian COVID-19 lockdowns. Americans should never forget what they did."

In Fauci's opening statement, he defended his conduct during the pandemic, stating, "The only conclusion I can reach is that the sole reason he [Sen. Rand Paul] is calling me before this committee is to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, ‘behind bars,’ unquote."

EX-CBS REPORTER CLAIMS QUESTIONING FAUCI GOT HER 'PULLED OFF AIR' DURING COVID PANDEMIC

Malice added that dictatorial control doesn't usually present itself as an obvious villain. Instead, he argued, it relies on petty bureaucrats and neighbor-against-neighbor enforcement.

"There's so many people who have that little bit of power, and they will hold onto it with every bit of fiber in their being," Malice told Tyrus, adding that he believes such enforcement by citizens is historically "alien to the American psyche."

Fox News Digital’s Pete D’Abrosca contributed to this report.



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EXCLUSIVE: The Senate investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith's "Arctic Frost" probe is widening, as Republican l...

Jack Smith's Senate phone records probe turns to Verizon's handling of subpoenas

EXCLUSIVE: The Senate investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith's "Arctic Frost" probe is widening, as Republican lawmakers question Verizon’s handling of subpoenas for senators’ phone records after the telecom giant failed to disclose one during an earlier congressional records search.

As part of Operation Arctic Frost — the codename for the FBI's Trump-election-interference probe with Smith placed at the helm — prosecutors subpoenaed Verizon and other phone carriers for toll records tied to members of Congress and other Republican figures. Several conservative entities were swept up in the probe, including the late Charlie Kirk.

Verizon later acknowledged omitting Smith's subpoena from its congressional record search.

The dispute centers less on Verizon's compliance with the subpoena than on what the company knew afterward, whether it should have notified Congress and why it failed to disclose the subpoena during an earlier records search.

BIDEN SPECIAL COUNSEL’S 'RUNAWAY TRAIN’ SCOOPED UP SENSITIVE LAWMAKER INFO: 'ABUSE OF POWER'

Smith’s investigation has faced increased scrutiny in recent months, and now Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa — whose records were among those obtained — and a slew of his colleagues want to know what Verizon knew, when it knew it and whether the company should have notified affected members of Congress after turning over their phone records to Smith's team.

"Jack Smith oversaw a sweeping and unprecedented investigation that swept-up records from hundreds of Republican entities, including the phone toll records and text messages from myself and dozens of my colleagues," Grassley told Fox News Digital Friday.

Toll records are essentially the metadata of a telephone call — and exclude the contents of the conversation. They often include the phone numbers involved, date, time, duration and often the operative cell-tower location.

MAJOR PHONE CARRIERS REVEAL JACK SMITH’S SUBPOENAS FOR REPUBLICAN SENATORS’ RECORDS

"Congress deserves to know the full picture of how Smith carried out Arctic Frost so it never happens again."

"As part of our investigation, we need to fully understand what Verizon knew about Smith’s subpoenas, when they became aware members were impacted and why the company didn’t inform members like they were supposed to," he said.

In a Thursday letter to Verizon CEO Daniel Schulman, Grassley, Senate Investigations Subcommittee chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and more than a dozen senators said they remain concerned not only by the alleged "abuse of power by federal government actors… but also with Verizon’s disclosures of (m)embers’ phone records pursuant to a May 25, 2023, subpoena (and) its failure to disclose this information to affected Members."

JACK SMITH THRUST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AT BLANCHE HEARING OVER EXPOSED SENATORS’ MESSAGES'

Of the signatories, Sens. Bill Hagerty IV and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Josh Hawley, R-Mo., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., also had their phone toll records or text messages swept up by Smith.

Their inquiry noted he asked Verizon in October 2023 to identify Justice Department or other federal law enforcement requests involving Senate devices used by his staff dating back to 2016.

The senator wrote that the subpoena was not disclosed in Verizon's initial response, and Grassley said Congress did not learn of it until Verizon acknowledged in 2025 that "human error" had caused its omission.

In its original October 2023 response to Grassley, Verizon wrote that it often limits retention of legal processes received to a period of four years, and attested it had no records to produce prior to October 2019.

"This raises questions as to whether Verizon discovered legal process from DOJ for Senate devices and lines, including the May 2023 Arctic Frost subpoena, in its search from October 1, 2019, to October 27, 2023, for responsive records to Chairman Grassley’s request," Grassley wrote in his new letter.

Therefore, Grassley and 15 other senators are demanding Verizon brass explain when they first learned Smith’s subpoena sought phone records that included members of Congress and when they discovered it had provided "tolling data" connected to those members and transmitted it to Smith.

Fox News Digital reached out to Verizon for comment.

Grassley’s new letter suggests the October 2023 exchange may be the key to determining whether Verizon merely missed the subpoena or discovered it and failed to disclose it.

"On what date were Daniel Schulman, Vandana Venkatesh, Hans Vestberg, and Craig Silliman first informed about the May 25, 2023, subpoena?" they asked of Verizon’s front office.

The senators also asked that Verizon explain its "human error" revelation in more specificity and produce internal records from May 2023 to October 2025 that discuss whether the company believed it was obligated to notify the implicated members of Congress or the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (SAA).

The "human error" explanation also left unanswered why Smith’s May 25, 2023, "Arctic Frost" subpoena was omitted from Verizon's review of legal process involving SAA phone lines, even though the company acknowledged that two SAA numbers were included in the subpoena.

In 2025, documents provided to Grassley revealed Verizon complied with Smith while AT&T resisted the requests.

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However, both subpoenas were accompanied by gag orders signed by Obama-appointed District of Columbia federal Judge James Boasberg, a frequent foil of President Donald Trump’s. Boasberg directed Verizon and AT&T not to disclose the subpoenas to lawmakers for a period of one year.

The DOJ has issued subpoenas for lawmakers' information in the past, but former inspector general Michael Horowitz cautioned against it except in limited circumstances in a report published in 2025, saying that doing so "risks chilling Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch."

Grassley’s letter gives Verizon until Aug. 13 to explain when it knew senators’ records were involved, who inside the company was informed and why the May 2023 subpoena did not surface in its earlier response to Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans have branded Smith's "Arctic Frost" as "worse than Watergate."

Fox News Digital reached out to counsel for Smith for comment.



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TUCSON, Ariz. — The Pima County Sheriff's Department released a pair of ransom notes Friday in the hope that someone can identify the au...

Nancy Guthrie ransom demands released by Pima County Sheriff's Department in bid to identify sender

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Pima County Sheriff's Department released a pair of ransom notes Friday in the hope that someone can identify the author due to similarities between them that indicate they were written by the same person, who authorities said used a "unique linguistic style."

Authorities have not yet confirmed that the notes are authentic, but Guthrie's daughter, "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, has said she believes they may be — and investigators haven't ruled them out either.

GOT A TIP?

They were sent on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6.

NEW DETAILS FROM NANCY GUTHRIE RANSOM DEMAND REVEALED, 'HER LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS': REPORT

According to the sheriff's department, the two notes share a "unique linguistic style" and are believed to have been sent by the same person.

The style is so distinct, that someone may be able to recognize the writer, authorities said.

The notes included references to the crime scene that may not have been public at the time they were sent — including details about the location of Guthrie's Apple Watch and the smashed floodlight in her backyard.

Fox News Digital first learned about the watch on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 3. According to authorities, the note had been sent the day before, on Monday, Feb. 2, indicating the sender knew about it before the information began to seep out into the public sphere.

"He knew about the watch on the floor — almost nobody did," said Jason Pack, a retired FBI negotiator who has been following the case closely. 

However, he added, that shows knowledge of the house, not knowledge specific to Guthrie or proof of life. 

"In my view, two things the language does support: He writes like a native English speaker. The idiom and the small connecting words are all in the right places, and at this length that is hard to fake," Pack added. "And he writes like someone who spends his day sending business email. Money in the amount of. Payment that will need to be paid by. Wanting to have this completed. That is office language."

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The sheriff's department is also formally acknowledging that Nest video from Guthrie’s front steps may show the masked intruder on two separate days. 

But they’re still asking for the public’s help identifying him — asking if anyone in the area has seen someone whose behavior changed, including by becoming nervous or anxious after the video came out on Feb. 10, or if they altered their physically appearance, left town, gave their car a deep clean or showed other uncharacteristic changes in behavior.

Anyone with information is asked to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI or, to remain anonymous, call 520-88-CRIME.

The sum of all rewards in the case is over $1.2 million. The money remains unclaimed as of Friday, a day before the six-month mark since Guthrie's kidnapping.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE'S EMOTIONAL PLEA TO MOM'S KIDNAPPER MAY SIGNAL 'NEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION': REPORT

This is a breaking news story.



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Shark sightings are common each summer from coast to coast — and though attacks are rare, they do happen. In August, shark activity begins ...

Shark Week warnings as experts reveal 6 ways to reduce your risk of a shark bite

Shark sightings are common each summer from coast to coast — and though attacks are rare, they do happen.

In August, shark activity begins to ramp up as they migrate and feed along the way, often bringing different species close to shore, according to experts.

Dr. Chris Lowe, professor of marine biology and director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), confirmed there has been an increase in white shark activity so far this year.

SHARK SIGHTINGS SPIKE NEAR AMERICA'S BEACHES AS JULY 4 CROWDS HEAD TO SHORE FOR WEEKEND

"We expect by August, September or October to see even more sharks off the Southern California coast," he told Fox News Digital.

Wyatt Wernath, national spokesperson for the American Lifeguard Association and a retired ocean rescue chief based in Cocoa Beach, Florida, said they've seen typical numbers for this time of year, although there have been "a couple little nibbles" where people were "bit on the heels or the toes."

For those swimming or surfing in the ocean, the experts shared the following six tips to avoid a dangerous shark encounter.

Before visiting a new beach, experts advise locating lifeguards and checking for shark sightings, rip currents, jellyfish and other hazards.

10-FOOT GREAT WHITE SHARK SPOTTED SWIMMING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO YOUNG PEOPLE

It's important to recognize and understand the flag systems on the beach that can signal certain conditions, Wernath noted. Red flags typically indicate high hazard, yellow flags mean heed caution and green flags mean low hazard.

A purple or blue flag indicates the presence of marine life. Combination red and blue flags signal hazardous marine life, such as a shark or dangerous jellyfish.

"If you can prepare yourself by knowing before you go, you’re going to have a much safer and enjoyable vacation or trip to the open water where the sharks live," Wernath said.

Other suspicious animal activity in the water — such as fish, birds and even seals — could mean a shark is nearby.

"If you see the water percolating on the top, that's the fish running from the predators," Wernath said. "Don't go in the water, get out of the water."

SHARK WEEK SHOCKER AS GREAT WHITE BREACHES JUST YARDS FROM OBLIVIOUS BOOGIE BOARDER

"If you see birds diving into the water, and they're feeding kind of erratically, don't go into the water."

Lowe, who runs the California Shark Beach Safety Program, also recommends avoiding dead marine life that could attract sharks.

"If you're out on your surfboard and a seal climbs on your board, that seal isn't trying to bond with you. It's probably trying to get out of the water because it knows there's a big shark around," he said.

SHARK WEEK PUTS SHARK BITE SURVIVAL IN FOCUS WITH ER DOC'S EXPERT TIPS

Avoid bait balls, which are dense schools of fish targeted by predators, Lowe advised. If one forms beneath your surfboard, move away to avoid an approaching shark.

While some "toe nibblers" in Florida have been known to attack on the shoreline, deep-water predators pose a risk as well, the experts warned.

California has about three shark bites per year and a fatality about every third year, according to Lowe — but numbers change as the population increases and more people seek out offshore recreation.

"When people start going out into the open ocean ... they may be encountering shark species that haven't been around people before," he said. "And therefore, you're a novelty."

Ocean spear fishing and kayak fishing are examples of "risky" excursions that have gained popularity in the last few decades, Lowe noted.

"Not only do you have a bloody fish on the end of your spear, but you're out around sharks that might not have been around people before," he said. "So, we just don't know how those sharks will react."

SHARK WEEK FANS MAY WANT TO THINK TWICE BEFORE EATING THIS OCEAN PREDATOR, EXPERTS WARN

"If you're kayak fishing, and you've got your legs in the water, and you’ve got a bloody fish, your leg could get mistaken by an excited shark trying to steal your fish."

When diving or snorkeling, it’s important not to present yourself "as prey," Wernath warned.

Dawn and dusk are peak feeding times for many sharks, increasing the risk of encounters.

Because sharks can mistake people for prey, Lowe recommends avoiding murky water and shiny jewelry that can mimic fish scales.

The chances of being bitten are statistically lower when swimming in a group than alone, Lowe said — and if trouble arises, others are there to help.

During a close encounter, it's important to confirm that the animal is actually a shark, as dolphin and stingray fins can look similar in the water.

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Unlike dolphins and stingrays, which typically show a single fin before disappearing underwater, sharks often reveal both their dorsal and tail fins.

"Tail fins will be moving more in a sweeping motion," Wernath said. "It won't go under gradually like a submarine. It won't arc like a dolphin in a rolling fashion."

If a shark is identified, give it space and calmly exit the water.

"Don't splash, don't cause a commotion, which will attract the shark, but just get out," Lowe said. "If you're on a surfboard or a boogie board, try to pull yourself up onto it, and just don't present yourself as prey."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"If you see the shark, always keep your eyes on it," he advised. "Follow it, track it, let the shark know you see it, turn your body toward it."

"If the shark comes closer, you can just slowly back up and keep watching it. If you lose track of it, the first place you should always look is behind you."

A shark approaching from behind is usually trying to investigate without being noticed. Once it realizes it has been spotted, however, "most of the time, the gig is up," Lowe said.

If it continues to approach, he recommends giving it "a good bop in the nose" to discourage it from coming closer.

"If the shark gets really close, I'm always an advocate of striking out at them. I think humans need to let sharks know that they're not supposed to get close to us," he added.

Experts say the key to safely coexisting with sharks is respecting their habitat and behavior while avoiding actions that could make people appear to be prey.

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"They're much more intelligent than we give them credit for," Wernath said, noting that they carefully assess potential prey before attacking. "They’re hunters. They're going to look around and make sure they can get to a prey without getting hurt."

The biggest misconception about sharks is that if they’re nearby, they’re going to bite you, Lowe said, adding that research proves this "simply isn't true."

Although human and shark populations have grown thanks to conservation efforts, shark bites haven't increased as expected.

"They might occasionally bite a person, but we don't really know why," Lowe went on. "We don't know if they're biting because they mistake us as food ... [or] because they feel we're a threat."

"Based on our last six years of data using drones, we see white sharks around people pretty much every day, and they seem to largely ignore people," he added. "What that clearly tells me is that humans are not on any shark's menu."



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