How common are fatal shark attacks?
Though sharks are commonly considered a real danger to humans, we pose a far greater threat to them. How common are fatal shark attacks?
As the summer months approach, so does news of shark attacks along US coastlines. Already this week, in Florida, a shark attack has led to the closing of a beach after women and two young girls were injured.
What is the likelihood of being attacked by a shark?
According to the National Ocean Service, only about a dozen out of more than 300 shark species have been involved in attacks on humans. For those who are more statistics-minded, AccuWeather reports that the likelihood of being attacked by a shark is 1 in 3.75 million, whereas the chance of getting struck by lightning is 1 in 500,000. According to the news organization Sentient Media, five people are killed by sharks per year on average. Humans, on the other hand, have decimated the population of this animal, killing more than 100 million of them each year. Per the International Fund for Animal Welfare, some estimates reach up to 273 million sharks killed annually.
Shark attacks have closed beaches across the world
The US is not alone in facing shark threats. In February 2023, several Sydney beaches, including the iconic Bondi and Bronte, were shut down after the attack, the first such fatality at the city’s beaches in nearly 60 years. Drum lines, used to bait sharks, were set up near the attack site, and drones were deployed as officials searched to see if the shark was still in the area.
The victim of that attack was identified as 35-year-old British expat diving instructor Simon Nellist, who had been training for a charity swim. The attack took place at Buchan Point, near Little Bay, to the southeast of Sydney. His remains, along with his ripped wetsuit, were found in the water an hour later. Nellist was engaged to be married to his Australian girlfriend.
How many shark attacks are there annually?
In 2023, the Florida Museum of Natural History tracked sixty-nine shark attacks worldwide.
In the United States, which accounted for thirty-six of those attacks, Florida saw nearly a quarter of unprovoked bites worldwide. The report published by the Museum noted that “annual fluctuations in shark-human interactions are expected.” However, the team also reported that the number of fatalities, six, from these attacks “was considerably higher than in 2022.”