Florida leads US again in number of shark attacks. See what 2023 report had to say
It's official. Florida is No. 1 in the United States when it comes to shark bites.
Not only that, but the U.S. leads world again in the number of unprovoked shark bites in 2023, according to the The Florida Museum of Natural History.
The museum compiles an annual report known as the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File, which is a scientific database of global shark attacks.
Leading the U.S. in the number of bites is Florida, with double the number of bites of the second-highest state.
The number of unprovoked shark attacks, along with the number of fatalities in 2023 was up compared to 2022.
How many unprovoked shark bites were there in 2023?
Around the world, there were 69 confirmed unprovoked shark bites in 2023. This is higher than the five-year average of 63 attacks, although it remains consistent with long-term trends, the report said.
How many unprovoked shark bites were there in Florida in 2023?
Of the 36 unprovoked shark bites in the U.S., the most occurred in Florida.
"As in previous years, Florida had more shark bites than any other state, with 16 attacks," the report said.
"Florida has long topped global charts for the number of shark bites, and 2023 was no different. Florida’s 16 cases represent 44% of the U.S. total and 23% of unprovoked bites worldwide. This is lower than Florida’s most recent five-year annual average of 19 incidents."
None of the attacks in Florida were fatal.
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Where did most shark bites happen in Florida in 2023?
Half of Florida's shark attacks in 2023 happened in one county: Volusia.
Here's the breakdown of the state's 16 shark bites by county:
Brevard County: 2
Miami-Dade County: 1
Palm Beach County: 1
Escambia County: 1
Pinellas County: 1
What are people doing when shark bites happen?
Most bites are associated with surfing and board sports. Here's the breakdown:
Surfing/board sports: 42%
Swimming/wading: 39%
Snorkeling/free diving: 13%
Other: 6%
What's the difference between provoked and unprovoked shark bites?
The Florida Museum differentiates provoked and unprovoked attacks this way:
“Unprovoked bites” 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.
“Provoked bites” occur when a human initiates interaction with a shark in some way. These include instances when divers are bitten after harassing or trying to touch sharks, bites on spearfishers, bites on people attempting to feed sharks, and bites occurring while unhooking or removing a shark from a fishing net."
Shark bites by state
Florida: 16
Hawaii: 8
New York: 4
North Carolina: 3
South Carolina: 2
California: 2
New Jersey: 1
How many people were killed by sharks in 2023?
Ten unprovoked shark attacks were fatal in 2023, up from five in 2022. A disproportionate number happened in Australia. Although the country accounted for 22% of all attacks, it made up 40% of fatalities.
Unprovoked fatal shark bites by country:
United States: 2
Australia: 4
New Caledonia: 1
Egypt: 1
Bahamas: 1
Mexico: 1
“This is within the range of the normal number of bites, though the fatalities are a bit unnerving this year,” said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark research program.
Three fatalities in 2023 occurred at one remote surfing destination off the coast of Southern Australia, the report said.
The region is home to seal colonies and a high density of white sharks.
Shark attacks in New York and New Jersey?
As more people enter the water, especially during hot summer days and on holidays, more attacks occur.
"Water quality around New York has increased over the last two decades, and experts attribute the greater number of marine mammals — such as whales and dolphins — observed off the coast to bigger fish populations. More fish often means more sharks, as well.
"This contributed to several bites over a few weeks over the summer, including the first known shark attack in New York City in more than half a century," the report said.
“It causes a lot of fear, but the reality is you’re putting a lot of people in the water on a hot day with bait fish in the water,” Naylor said.
Unprovoked shark bites by country in 2023
United States: 36Australia: 15New Caledonia: 3Brazil: 3Egypt: 2Bahamas: 2South Africa: 2Mexico: 1Costa Rica: 1Colombia: 1New Zealand: 1Seychelles: 1Galapagos: 1Turks and Caicos: 1
Most unprovoked shark attacks are 'test bites'
The majority of shark attacks are test bites, which happens when a shark misidentifies a human as their preferred prey.
"When this happens, the shark will typically swim away after a single bite. Some species like white sharks and tiger sharks, however, are large enough that even a single bite can be fatal," the report said.
"Unusual incidents when a shark continues biting their victim, rather than swimming away, have been documented with tiger sharks, bull sharks and white sharks."
Odds of being bitten by a shark are low but here are tips to further lessen the odds
"The total number of unprovoked shark bites worldwide remains extremely low," the report said.
"Fatalities saw an increase over the past year. Most of the fatalities in 2023 were due to white shark bites (three inAustralia, one in California).
Here are some tips to avoid being bitten by a shark.
Stay close to shore.
Don't swim at dawn or dusk.
Avoid excessive splashing.
Stay in groups.
Do not enter the water if bleeding and enter with caution if menstruating.
Wearing shiny jewelry is discouraged.
Avoid waters if there are signs of bait fish or feeding. Look for diving seabirds.
Use caution between sandbars or steep dropoffs. These are favorite shark hangouts.
What should you do if you're attacked by a shark?
Hit the shark on the nose.
Claw at its eyes or gill openings.
If diving and you can't get out of the water quietly, back up against a nearby structure.
Remember, playing dead does not work with sharks.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Shark attacks: Florida, US bites. Fatalities. Volusia tops state
