The U.S. is once more main the way in which.
Whereas shark assaults dropped all over the world and within the U.S. final yr, the U.S. once more had the very best reported variety of unprovoked bites.
There have been a complete of 28 reported incidents within the U.S., with half of them occurring off of Florida, based on new knowledge from the Worldwide Shark Assault File. Cape Cod once more didn’t have a reported shark chew final yr.
An assault by an unknown shark species off of Oahu, Hawaii, resulted within the nation’s solely unprovoked fatality. There have been 4 deaths all over the world final yr.
The Worldwide Shark Assault File, maintained by the Florida Museum of Pure Historical past, gives knowledge on what are thought of unprovoked bites — incidents when an individual doesn’t provoke contact with a shark.
Incidents when an individual deliberately or unintentionally initiates contact, together with spearfishing and releasing sharks from nets or hooks, should not included within the report.
“We’re interested in the natural patterns of shark behavior so that we can understand why people occasionally get bitten by these animals,” stated Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Analysis.
Worldwide, there have been 47 unprovoked assaults — down 22 from the earlier yr and nicely beneath the 10-year common of 70. The entire of 4 deadly shark bites was a drop from 10 deadly bites within the prior yr.
The 28 unprovoked shark bites within the U.S. was down from 36 unprovoked bites throughout the earlier yr.
With heat waters and ample shoreline, Florida had a complete of 14 bites, greater than some other state. Of those, eight occurred in Volusia County, which bears the unofficial title of shark chew capital of the world.
Many of those bites have been probably from blacktip sharks, whose breeding grounds stretch alongside the northeast Florida shoreline. Lots of the sharks on this space are juveniles and haven’t but absolutely developed the power to differentiate between people and their pure prey, which incorporates fish, stingrays and different sharks.
In June, a spate of assaults within the Florida Panhandle passed off inside 4 miles of one another, injuring three individuals. A trio of healthcare professionals — two nurses and one paramedic — have been vacationing alongside Watersound Seashore in South Walton, the place a girl bitten by a bull shark was carried ashore.
They and different bystanders supplied lifesaving medical consideration whereas first responders have been heading to the scene. Lower than two hours later, a shark bit two youngsters wading within the shallows of close by Seacrest Seashore.
Bull sharks and tiger sharks are widespread alongside Florida’s northern coast, however they hardly ever enterprise into leisure areas.
“You’ll see 20 to 30 of them patrolling the coast about 500 feet offshore, where they mind their own business,” Naylor stated.
As residents and vacationers converge on the coastlines for summer season holidays, the chance of a shark encounter will increase. This was evident over the July 4th weekend when six individuals have been injured by sharks in Texas and Florida. 5 of those qualify as unprovoked bites.
“The South Padre Island bites were significant, with several incidents on the same day in the same vicinity,” stated Worldwide Shark Assault File supervisor Joe Miguez.
A lady swimming in murky water close to one of many island’s sandbars was bitten on her calf, and her husband sustained gentle accidents whereas heading off the shark. One other man was bitten close by, and a teen obtained a small wound when a shark bumped into her and grazed her leg, both with its enamel or its tough pores and skin.
There have been three unprovoked assaults in California, together with one by which a surfboard was punctured. Globally, surfers accounted for 33% of all assaults final yr.
“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,” Naylor stated. “The turbidity also reduces visibility in the water, making it harder for sharks to see. Some of them make mistakes.”
The three remaining shark bites within the U.S. occurred in North and South Carolina.
The probabilities of being bitten by a shark stay extremely low. In line with the World Health Group, drowning is the third main reason behind unintentional demise worldwide, and rip tides and powerful currents pose a larger threat to beachgoers than sharks.
The Worldwide Shark Assault File gives an inventory of suggestions for additional lowering your threat of a shark chew — similar to staying near shore, eradicating reflective jewellery earlier than coming into the water, and avoiding areas the place persons are fishing.
