ATLANTA — Following recent shark attacks off the Florida coast Friday, many are worried about their chances of something similar happening to them.
The attacks resulted in three people being taken to the hospital, two with severe injuries, and one person having to undergo amputation of her lower arm. Now viewers are reaching out, wondering how rare shark attacks truly are.
THE QUESTION
Are shark attacks actually rare?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, shark attacks are quite rare.
WHAT WE FOUND
Sharks have a bad reputation. They are commonly described and shown in the media as dangerous, bloodthirsty, human-eating creatures, but the truth is that they would rather eat fish than humans.
In 2023, there were 69 confirmed unprovoked shark attack cases worldwide, which, according to the Florida Museum, is in line with their five-year average, slightly skewing higher.
Of those, the museum said 14 were fatal, which is higher than the five-year annual global average of six unprovoked fatalities per year. So, while shark attacks do happen, the museum states you are more likely to be struck by lightning or killed in a car accident than attacked by a shark.
In fact, sharks' biggest predators are humans. Oceana said millions of sharks are killed for fins yearly, disrupting ocean ecosystems.
Though rare, the U.S. leads the world in what the museum calls unprovoked shark bites, which “are defined as incidents in which a bite on a live human occurs in the shark’s natural habitat with no human provocation of the shark.” Florida, in particular, is on top of the global charts for the number of shark attacks.
“And 2023 was no different,” the museum said. “Florida’s 16 cases represent 44% of the U.S. total and 23% of unprovoked bites worldwide. But, this is still lower than Florida’s most recent five-year annual average of 19 incidents.”
While shark bites worldwide remain low and myths about sharks are often overexaggerated, please keep your distance and give them the respect and space they deserve.
- Always stay with a buddy since sharks are more likely to approach a solitary individual.
- Do not wander too far from shore. Being far from shore also isolates you from any emergency assistance.
- Exercise caution when occupying the area between sandbars or near steep dropoffs; these are favorite hangouts for sharks.
- Avoid being in the water during low-light hours (dawn or dusk) and at night, when many sharks are most active and feeding.
- Sharks have never been shown to be attracted to the smell of human blood. However, it may still be advisable to stay out of the water if bleeding from an open wound. Also, see Menstruation and Sharks
- Wearing shiny jewelry is discouraged because the reflected light may resemble the sheen of fish scales.
- Avoid areas with known effluents or sewage and those being used by sport or commercial anglers, especially if there are signs of bait fishes or feeding activity. Diving seabirds are good indicators of these fishes’ presence.
- Avoid water being used by recreational or commercial anglers.
- Sightings of porpoises or dolphins do not indicate the absence of sharks; both often eat the same food items.
- Use extra caution when waters are murky; some shark species will have just as much trouble seeing as you.
- Avoid uneven tanning and bright-colored and/or high-contrasting clothing; sharks see contrast particularly well.
- Refrain from excess splashing, particularly in a single spot. Sharks can hear the low-frequency sounds from splashing and may investigate to see if there is a fish/prey in distress.
- Do not enter the water if sharks are known to be present. Slowly and calmly evacuate the water if sharks are seen.
