# Animal attacks on menstruating women **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 25, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386 "2001-03-25T04:06:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ginkgo100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/51bf81/32.png) [@Ginkgo100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ginkgo100)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/1 "2001-03-25T04:06:14Z")
I had never heard of bears attacking menstruating women, but I have heard that iguanas, of all things, may do so. Female iguanas are innocent, but women of child-bearing age should be careful around male iguanas, which apparently smell something hormonal at certain times of the month, which incites aggression. At least, so I was given to understand from a source I don’t remember. Iguanas, especially large ones, can do significant (or at least painful) damage to humans using their tails as whips. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/2 "2001-03-25T06:20:56Z")
A link to the column is appreciated. It is [Are bears more likely to attack menstruating women?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_039.html) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/3 "2001-03-25T15:36:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Iguanas, especially large ones, can do significant (or at least painful) damage to humans using their tails as whips. I can’t decide if this would be referred to as _beastiality_ or _S&M_ . :eek: As to whether the **OP** is true regarding iguanas, see [this](http://cagesbydesign.com/melissk/season.html) for the only on-line cites about it I could find. Seems not unreasonable, and there are cites from scientific? literature to back it up. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/4 "2001-03-25T18:37:31Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment. Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by bibiliophage. The column ( **including** Slug Signorino’s illustration) can also be found on pages 39-41 of Cecil Adams? book «[_Return of the Straight Dope_](http://www.straightdope.com/otheroutlets/books.html)». * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/5 "2001-03-25T20:09:30Z")
While SCUBA diving once I had a 10 ft. tiger shark follow right on my fins for some time. Later I wondered if this was because I was menstruating. Sharks are known to detect minute particles of blood from some distance. I’ve never seen any studies about this, though - just on grizzlies. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2001, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/6 "2001-03-25T21:13:45Z")
**Jill** > [@](#): > > There is no evidence of increased shark interest in a menstruating female. The hemolytic blood associated with menses may instead act as a shark deterrent (Edmonds, et al., 1992, p. 65). In fact, 89% of 69 surveyed women said they dived during menses (Crown, 1977). However, if a female is experiencing physiological distress during menses it would be prudent not to dive since stress can contribute to DCS (Arness, 1997). from [scuba](http://www.womeninscuba.com/jacalyn/debated.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/7 "2001-03-26T04:38:03Z")
Quoth **samclem** : > [@](#): > > As to whether the **OP** is true regarding iguanas, see [this](http://cagesbydesign.com/melissk/season.html) for the only on-line cites about it I could find. Seems not unreasonable, and there are cites from scientific? literature to back it up. Careful research on the Web will turn up plenty of information on iguanas [tormenting adolescent human females](http://www.foxtrot.com). ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-attacks-on-menstruating-women/59386/8 "2001-03-26T21:25:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\ ***Jill** > > > [@](#): > > > > There is no evidence of increased shark interest in a menstruating female. The hemolytic blood associated with menses may instead act as a shark deterrent (Edmonds, et al., 1992, p. 65). In fact, 89% of 69 surveyed women said they dived during menses (Crown, 1977). However, if a female is experiencing physiological distress during menses it would be prudent not to dive since stress can contribute to DCS (Arness, 1997). > > from [scuba](http://www.womeninscuba.com/jacalyn/debated.html) \*\* That’s interesting. What is DCS? My legs were all scraped up from being thrown against fire coral the day before and I also wondered if that was a variable affecting the shark’s interest in me.