The name “porbeagle” has an uncertain origin. The first part of its name may be a reference to “porpoise” or the word “port”, as in a harbor. The second part may be a reference to the Beagle dog breed, as historically sharks have often been compared to dogs. In fact, hundreds of years ago sailors referred to sharks as “sea dogs”.
Porbeagle sharks are not considered particularly dangerous to humans. They rarely comes into contact with swimmers or bathers, as they live in waters that are colder than humans normally swim in. The few attacks attributed to the porbeagle are usually the result of fishermen handling sharks that they have caught. It’s also possible that these attacks were the result of other sharks, such as makos.
Porbeagles have been known to swim aggressively toward divers around oil platforms, though they do not attack them. The reason for this is not known, but it is believed the sharks may be curious and investigating the divers, or could be trying to intimidate them for defensive purposes.
