As of: February 6, 2024, 8:00 p.m
By: Martina Lippl
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Shark attacks are becoming more and more common.
Scientists are closely monitoring attacks on people.
Current statistics for 2023 are now available.
Gainesville – Horrible scenes took place in the popular holiday resort of Hurghada (Egypt).
A shark attacked a man (23).
The victim screamed for help - in vain.
The fatal shark attack in front of numerous bathers shocked.
This summer, New York's beach was temporarily closed after a woman was bitten by a shark in her thigh.
These incidents are registered in the “International Shark Attack File” (ISAF for short).
There is a clear trend for 2023.
Most shark attacks occur from great white sharks, bull sharks or tiger sharks.
© Oceanphoto/Imago
Researchers 'worried' about increasing shark attacks - what are the causes
The number of unprovoked shark attacks increased in 2023 compared to the previous year.
In 2023, there were 69 “unprovoked shark attacks” worldwide, ten people were killed.
In 2022 there were comparatively few at 57.
The University of Florida database has been collecting information about individual shark attacks and bites since 1958.
Over 6,800 incidents are covered in the International Shark Attack File, dating back to the early 1,500 years.
However, the annual report focuses primarily on so-called unprovoked attacks.
Unprovoked shark attacks are the most useful for studying shark behavior to understand the animals' natural behavior, according to the University of Florida press release.
The 2023 figure is within "normal bite numbers," although the deaths are "somewhat concerning," said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's shark research program.
What are unprovoked shark attacks?
According to the "International Shark Attack File", so-called unprovoked shark attacks are cases in which a shark attacks in its natural habitat without humans provoking it and the shark is not attracted by bait.
“International Shark Attack File” – Researchers are counting more shark attacks in 2023 than in the previous year
country |
Shark attacks 2023 |
fatal shark attacks 2023 |
|---|---|---|
USA |
36 |
2 |
Australia |
15 |
4 |
New Caledonia |
3 |
1 |
Brazil |
3 |
0 |
Egypt |
2 |
1 |
Bahamas |
1 |
1 |
Mexico |
1 |
1 |
South Africa |
2 |
0 |
Costa Rica |
1 |
0 |
Colombia |
1 |
0 |
New Zealand |
1 |
0 |
Sychelles |
1 |
0 |
Galapagos |
1 |
0 |
Turks and Caicos Islands |
1 |
0 |
worldwide |
69 |
10 |
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Source: International Shark Attack File, 2023
However, an unusual shark attack on a holiday beach in Spain does not appear in the statistics.
A blue shark attacked bathers in knee-high water.
Most shark attacks occur from great white sharks, bull sharks or tiger sharks.
Deadly shark attacks in 2023 – risk for surfers apparently particularly high
The great white shark is responsible for most deaths in 2023 (three in Australia and one in California).
Three fatal shark attacks occurred in a remote surfing area off the coast of South Australia.
Particularly tragic: A 15-year-old was attacked and killed by a shark while surfing.
Surf spots known as shark hunting grounds
The region, enticing surfers, is home to seal colonies and is known for high densities of great white sharks, the ISAF report said.
In rare cases, the shark apparently confuses humans with its prey.
It is life-threatening.
However, an experienced surfer managed to create a spectacular video.
“If a great white shark is after a seal and the seal knows that, the great white shark doesn’t stand a chance,” Naylor explained.
“Seals are very mobile, so the only ones who get caught are the ones frolicking on the surface, minding their own business.
And that’s exactly what a surfer looks like.”
According to data from shark researchers in 2023, shark attacks most often occurred while surfing and swimming:
Surfing or similar water sports - 42 percent
Swimming and wading - 39 percent
Snorkeling and diving - 6 percent
According to experts, the risk of a fatal shark attack is also higher on unsecured beaches.
If a shark bite occurs there, there will be no one who can apply a pressure bandage to save lives in an emergency.
A single bite from a great white shark or tiger shark can be fatal.
Great white shark increasingly aggressive?
Myth persists
Shark attacks by great white sharks have skyrocketed in recent decades, scientists explain.
But sharks have not become more aggressive, emphasizes the Florida Museum of Natural History, where the
International Shark Attack Files
are located.
More attacks meant more people spending time in the water.
People are staying in the sharks' natural habitats, which is leading to an increase in encounters with the animals.
Steven Spielberg's horror thriller “Jaws” from 1975 was almost 50 years ago.
But the film significantly shaped the image of the great white shark as a killer.
Experts attribute the shark bites on the beaches off New York in summer to improved water quality and therefore larger fish stocks.
More fish often means more sharks, according to scientists.
“The fear is high, but the reality is that you put a lot of people in the water with baitfish on a hot day,” said Gavin Naylor.
This is how you can avoid a shark attack or shark bite
The risk of a shark attack is very low, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
The chance of being attacked by a shark is less than 1 in 4 million.
But there are simple tips to avoid encounters with a shark: stay in groups, stay close to the shore, don't go swimming at dawn or dusk, don't go into the water with an open wound, and you should Do not remove jewelry or splash excessively in the water.
The year 2024 has only just begun, but a German vacationer has apparently fallen victim to a shark attack in the Bahamas.
(ml)