Globally shark attacks are declining

International data shows 2024 was an exceptionally calm year for shark attacks on humans.

The International Shark Attack File, maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History, provides data on what are considered unprovoked bites, defined as incidents in which a person does not initiate contact with a shark. Instances in which a person intentionally or unintentionally initiates contact, including spearfishing and releasing sharks from nets or hooks, are not included in the report.

The report shows worldwide, there were only 47 unprovoked attacks, down 22 from the previous year and well below the 10-year average of 70. Four of last year’s attacks resulted in fatalities, also a significant reduction from recent years.

“We’re interested in the natural patterns of shark behaviour so that we can understand why people occasionally get bitten by these animals,” says Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research in the US.

“Any cue or attribute that modifies an animal’s natural behaviour is something that, we as scientists, want to exclude.”

The United States consistently has the highest number of unprovoked bites, a trend that continued last year with 28 reported incidents. An attack by an unknown shark species off the northwest coast of Oahu, Hawaii resulted in the only unprovoked fatality in the U.S.

With warm waters and ample shoreline, Florida had a total of 14 bites, more than any other state. Of these, eight occurred in Volusia County, which bears the unofficial title of shark bite capital of the world. The report says although unconfirmed, many of these bites were likely from blacktip sharks, whose breeding grounds stretch along the northeast Florida coastline.

“Many of the sharks in this area are juveniles and haven’t yet fully developed the ability to distinguish between humans and their natural prey, which includes fish, stingrays and other sharks.”

Bull sharks and tiger sharks are common along Florida’s northern coast, but they rarely venture into recreational areas.

There were three unprovoked attacks in California, including one in which a surfboard was punctured. Globally, surfers accounted for 33% of all attacks last year.

“People surf where there are good waves, and where there are good waves, there’s turbidity, and where there’s turbidity, there are often bait fish that attract sharks. The turbidity also reduces visibility in the water, making it harder for sharks to see. Some of them make mistakes,” Naylor says.

Global shark data

Australia typically averages the second-highest number of reported bites and fatalities. Of the 13 shark species that have been known to bite humans, all of them have distributions in Australia’s waters. White sharks and bull sharks are particularly common. White sharks form two overlapping populations along the southwest and southeast of the continent, each with a few hundred adults, down significantly from their estimated historical numbers.

The report says even relatively minor bites from a white or a bull shark can be life-threatening, contributing to the country’s high fatality rate. This number oscillates from year to year, however, and in 2019, 2022 and 2024, there were no reported fatalities from unprovoked encounters.

Ten other countries all had single bites, including one in the Red Sea off Egypt’s coast in which a man reportedly swimming outside a designated safety area was killed. Other countries include Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, the Maldives, Mozambique, French Polynesia, Thailand and the Turks and Caicos.

An unusual incident off the coast of Western Sahara marked the first reported shark attack for the region. A German tourist sailing on a British catamaran traveling from the Canary Islands was attacked while swimming alongside the boat. The incident occurred in remote international waters, and it took several hours for an emergency crew to reach the scene by helicopter. The woman died from her injuries on the return trip.

A man wading through waters of the Vaitarna River in western India was bitten last year by a medium-sized bull shark. Of the species that could be identified from witness accounts, video footage of the attacks and/or the pattern of lacerations left by their teeth, bull sharks were the main culprit of last year’s bites. Unlike most other shark species, bull sharks are tolerant of freshwater environments and have been found in rivers hundreds of miles from the sea. Pregnant females often navigate upstream, where there are fewer predators that pose a danger to their young.

The International Shark Attack File provides a curated list of recommendations for further reducing your risk of a shark bite, such as removing reflective jewelry before entering the water and avoiding areas where people are fishing.

This article was first posted by Florida Museum of Natural History

International Shark Attack File’s website.  The full infographic with summary statistics and safety tips is also available for download.

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