Key Takeaways

• The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) is the world's only scientifically-generated database of known shark attacks around the world. It was initiated in 1958 and is jointly administered by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the American Elasmobranch Society.
• The ISAF recorded 137 alleged cases of shark attacks around the world in 2021. Of these 137 cases, 73 were unprovoked shark bites, and 39 were provoked shark bites.
• The ISAF recorded 11 fatalities due to shark attacks globally in 2021. Of these 11 fatalities, nine were classified under unprovoked shark attacks. In comparison, the global annual average of unprovoked fatalities per year is five.
• Keeping pace with the long-term trends, the United States recorded 47 unprovoked bites in 2021, which represent 64% of the total global cases in 2021. The 47 confirmed unprovoked bites were 42% higher than the 33 confirmed cases recorded in the country in 2020 (which represented 58% of the total global cases).
• Consistent with the trend seen over decades, Florida recorded the most number of confirmed unprovoked shark bites in 2021 among all the states in the US. Florida's 28 confirmed cases represent 60% of the US total and 38% of the global total.

Introduction

About The International Shark Attack File (ISAF)

• The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) is the world's only scientifically-generated database of known shark attacks around the world. It was initiated in 1958 and is jointly administered by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the American Elasmobranch Society.
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• The ISAF has recorded over 6,800 individual investigations of shark attacks from the early 1500s to the present.

An Overview of Statistics Surrounding Shark Attacks Globally in 2021

Total Number of Shark Attacks Globally in 2021

• The ISAF recorded 137 alleged cases of shark attacks around the world in 2021.
• Of these 137 cases, 73 were unprovoked shark bites, and 39 were provoked shark bites.

The Number of Fatal Shark Attacks Globally in 2021

• The ISAF recorded 11 fatalities due to shark attacks globally in 2021.
• Of these 11 fatalities, nine were classified under unprovoked shark attacks. In comparison, the global annual average of unprovoked fatalities per year is five.
• Despite the number of shark-related fatalities increasing in 2020 and 2021, long-term trends show an average decrease in the number of annual fatalities. Year-to-year variability in socioeconomic, meteorological, and oceanographic conditions significantly influences the number of shark-human interactions around the world.

The Percentage of Fatal Shark Attacks Out of All Shark Attacks in 2021

• Considering 11 fatal shark attacks out of total 137 shark attacks globally in 2021, the percentage of fatal shark attacks in 2021 comes to be 8.03% [Calculation: (11/137)*100% = 8.03%].

The Top Five Categories of Shark Attacks Globally in 2021

• The top five categories of shark attacks globally in 2021 were as follows:
• Unprovoked bites (bite incidents that occur without human provocation): 73 cases.
• Provoked bites (bite incidents that occur due to some interaction by humans): 39 cases.
• Boat bites (bite incidents on sea-faring vessels of any kind): 4 cases.
• Scavenge (feeding on a dead body after the person's death due to unrelated causes like drowning): 1 case.
• Public aquaria (aquarium bites): 0 cases.
• Additionally, in 2021, five cases were not likely to involve a shark (categorized as "Doubtful"), 14 cases could not be confirmed as shark attacks (categorized as "Not confirmed"), and one incident involved a lack of sufficient data to be classified as a shark attack (categorized as "No assignment could be made"). Hence, the 20 cases are still under investigation by the ISAF and have not been considered confirmed shark attacks.

Five Countries With the Highest Number of Unprovoked Bites in 2021

• The top five countries with the highest number of confirmed unprovoked bites in 2021 were as follows:
• The United States: 47 unprovoked bites (of which one case was a fatality).
• Australia: 12 unprovoked bites (of which three cases were fatalities).
• Brazil: 3 unprovoked bites (of which one case was a fatality).
• New Zealand: 3 unprovoked bites (of which one case was a fatality).
• South Africa: 3 unprovoked bites (of which one case was a fatality).
• Keeping pace with the long-term trends, the United States recorded 47 unprovoked bites in 2021, which represent 64% of the total global cases in 2021. The 47 confirmed unprovoked bites were 42% higher than the 33 confirmed cases recorded in the country in 2020 (which represented 58% of the total global cases).
• Australia recorded 12 confirmed unprovoked bites in 2021, which was "lower than the most recent five-year annual average of 16 incidents for the region." New South Wales recorded six incidents (of which two were fatalities), Western Australia recorded four incidents (of which one was a fatality), and Queensland and Victoria recorded one incident each.
• Other than the above-mentioned five countries, two confirmed unprovoked bites were recorded in New Caledonia (both resulted in fatalities). Single incidents (without fatalities) were recorded in Canada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Ecuador.
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Five States in the United States With the Highest Number of Unprovoked Bites in 2021

• The top five states in the United States with the highest number of confirmed unprovoked bites in 2021 were as follows:
• Florida: 28 unprovoked bites (0 fatalities).
• Hawaii: 6 unprovoked bites (0 fatalities).
• South Carolina: 4 unprovoked bites (0 fatalities).
• California: 3 unprovoked bites (of which one case was a fatality).
• North Carolina: 3 unprovoked bites (0 fatalities).
• Other than the states mentioned above, two confirmed unprovoked bites were recorded in Georgia, and one confirmed unprovoked bite was recorded in Maryland. However, these incidents did not result in any fatalities.
• Consistent with the trend seen over decades, Florida recorded the most number of confirmed unprovoked shark bites in 2021. Florida's 28 confirmed cases represent 60% of the US total and 38% of the global total.
• Volusia County in Florida recorded 17 confirmed unprovoked bites in 2021, which represents 61% of Florida's total cases in 2021. From 1882 to the present date, there have been 337 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in Volusia County alone. New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County is known as the "shark capital of the world," owing to the high concentration of sharks in the area. According to the ISAF, "anyone who has gone swimming at New Smyrna Beach has been within ten feet of a shark." An image of New Smyrna Beach is provided below.
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• The other counties in Florida that recorded confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in 2021 were Miami-Dade (2 cases), Brevard (2 cases), St. Lucie (2 cases), Broward (1 case), Palm Beach (1 case), Martin (1 case), Manatee (1 case), and St. Johns (1 case).

Research Strategy

Key Takeaways

• It is believed that great white sharks are responsible for all the fatal shark attacks that have occurred in New South Wales within the past two years. Data from the Global Shark Attack File shows that NSW had a total of 4 fatal shark attacks in 2020 and 2021, and great white sharks ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 meters in length were behind the deaths.
• According to research by Dr. Lagabrielle, a senior lecturer in geography at the University of La Réunion, the probability of being “attacked by a shark at Réunion increased by a factor of 23 over almost a 30-year period.” He also states that a bull shark is behind 9 out of 10 shark attacks in the area.
• A study by Chapman and McPhee reported that 82% of the unprovoked shark attacks in Brazil have occurred “in a relatively small area of the northeast coast near Recife, making it one of the highest areas of attacks per kilometer in the world.”
• Surfing/board sports, swimming and wading, diving, and entering or exiting water are the four main categories of activities that Florida victims were involved in during the shark attacks.
• There have been a total of 130 unprovoked shark attacks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa since 1900. Out of the 130 cases, 23 of them were fatal. The Second Beach at Port St Johns is one of the deadliest beaches in the area.

Introduction

1. Florida, US

• Florida reports more shark attacks each year than any other place in the world. Within the last ten years, from 2012 to 2021, 259 shark attacks have been reported in Florida. This figure represents 34% of the 761 cases reported globally within the same period.
• Volusia (337), Brevard (155), Palm Beach (81), St. Johns (46), and Duval (45) are the top five counties with the most unprovoked shark attacks in Florida since 1882.
• Surfing/board sports, swimming and wading, diving, and entering or exiting water are the four main categories of activities that Florida victims were involved in during the shark attacks. According to the Florida Museum, surfers and people participating in board sports spend a “large amount of time in the surf zone, an area commonly frequented by sharks, and may unintentionally attract sharks by splashing, paddling and wiping out.”

 

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• According to ISAF, Requiem spp., Bull, Blacktip, Spinner, and Hammer Head are the top shark species that have been attacking people in Florida.

 

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2. New South Wales, Australia

•  267 unprovoked shark attacks have been reported in New South Wales (NSW) since the 1700s. Queensland and Western Australia come in second and third with 199 and 107 cases, respectively.
• More recently, between 2012 and 2020, 62 unprovoked shark attacks resulting in 6 fatalities were reported in NSW.

 

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• According to 9News, NSW continues to top the number of shark attacks in Australia. The area clocked the highest number of unprovoked shark attacks in both 2020 and 2021 in the country.
• It is also believed that great white sharks are responsible for all the fatal shark attacks that have occurred in NSW within the past two years. Data from the Global Shark Attack File shows that NSW had a total of four fatal shark attacks in 2020 and 2021, and great white sharks ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 meters in length were behind the deaths.
• New South Wales has also been criticized for its efforts to mitigate shark attacks, i.e., shark nets installed in 1937. The media question their effectiveness, with 40 attacks to date on netted beaches. Furthermore, those nets impact the ecosystem, not only killing sharks but also whales, dolphins, and multiple other species, with over 33% of them endangered.

3. Eastern Cape, South Africa

• According to ISAF, there have been a total of 259 unprovoked shark attacks in South Africa since 1905, and out of the 259 attacks, 109 of them occurred in the country’s eastern cape.
• Data collected by Shark Attack Data, on the other hand, indicates that there have been a total of 130 unprovoked shark attacks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa since 1900. Out of the 130 cases, 23 of them were fatal.
• Shark Attack Data also states that surfing, swimming, and crossing the river are the main activities that the victims were involved in during the shark attacks.
• According to Owlcation, the Second Beach at Port St Johns is one of the deadliest beaches in the Eastern Cape. In 2014, a shark attack at Second Beach claimed the life of a 72-year-old man, marking the eighth death from a shark attack at the beach in five years.

4. Reunion Island (Mascarene Islands), Indian Ocean

• Reunion Island is a French territory situated in the Indian Ocean, and according to ISAF, 47 unprovoked shark attacks have been reported in the area since 1828.
•  Eleven people have died because of shark attacks in the area since 2011 while eight more have been maimed.
• Dan Duane, the host of the podcast Réunion: Shark Attacks in Paradise, told the New York Post that there has been an increase in the number of bull sharks on the Island from 2011 to 2019. As a result, shark attacks have gotten out of hand and swimming and surfing outside the coral lagoon are now banned.
• In 2019, a Brit guy who was vacationing with his wife on the island got lost, and the police couldn’t trace him. However, his wife was able to recognize him after a shark was caught and X-rayed, and they found his hand still wearing his ring inside the shark’s stomach.
• According to research by Dr. Lagabrielle, a senior lecturer in geography at the University of La Réunion, the probability of being “attacked by a shark at Réunion increased by a factor of 23 over almost a 30-year period.” He also states that a bull shark is behind 9 out of 10 shark attacks in the area.
• Changes in sharks' behavior, an increase in their population, changes in water temperature, and fishing targeting shark populations could be some of the reasons causing the increase in shark attacks, according to Dr. Lagabrielle.
• Another expert, Michael Heithaus, believes that the increase in shark attacks might be caused by the island’s active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise. According to the marine ecologist, “bull sharks could be taking advantage of the fact sediment washes down from the volcano's slope since cloudy waters make ideal hunting grounds for the "smart" predators”

5. Pernambuco, Brazil

• While Recife beaches in Pernambuco, Brazil are a popular destination for many tourists, they are located in one of the most shark attack-prone areas globally. 61 unprovoked shark attacks have been confirmed in the Pernambuco since 1931 and according to JTG Travel, 50% of these attacks turned out to be fatal.
• Additionally, in 1992, 27 surfers died from shark attacks in Brazil, and 25 of these deaths occurred in Pernambuco.

 

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• It is believed that bull sharks and tiger sharks are responsible for most of these attacks. Not only are these two types of shark among the most aggressive of them all but they are also “capable of swimming close to shore and near to the sand-bottomed beaches.”
• A study by Chapman and McPhee reported that 82% of the unprovoked shark attacks in Brazil have occurred “in a relatively small area of the northeast coast near Recife, making it one of the highest areas of attacks per kilometer in the world.”
• The study goes on to say that these shark attacks were rare before 1992 and that the nearby port activity might be the reason why the numbers started rising because “construction has displaced aggressive bull sharks and increased boat traffic and sharks are known to be attracted to sounds of boats.”

Research Strategy