The year 2024 witnessed a drop in unprovoked shark attacks worldwide, marking an unprecedented decline in incidents between humans and sharks. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History, there were only 47 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks globally in 2024, down 22 from the previous year and well below the ten-year average of 70 incidents per year.
Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, noted that the lower numbers of shark encounters in 2024 could simply represent a statistical fluctuation. “We want to understand the natural behavior of sharks to better understand why humans are occasionally bitten by them,” Naylor explained, as reported by Die Presse. He emphasized that variations in attack numbers are common and may not indicate a long-term trend.
The United States continued its long-term trend of recording the highest number of unprovoked shark bites, with 28 cases in 2024, as reported by Forbes. Florida accounted for half of these incidents, recording 14 unprovoked bites—more than any other state in the US. Eight of these occurred in Volusia County, known as the shark attack capital of the world, as reported by Scientias. New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach are located in this county.
Many of the shark bites in Volusia County were likely from juvenile blacktip sharks. Young sharks probably do not yet distinguish well between humans and their natural prey, such as fish, stingrays, and other sharks. These immature sharks may mistake swimmers and surfers for typical prey, leading to unintended encounters.
According to Forbes, surfers were particularly affected, accounting for 34% of shark bite victims and 60% of the total incidents with 28 bites worldwide. The ISAF noted, as reported by Asbury Park Press, that swimmers and waders accounted for 50% of the shark bites in 2024, while snorkelers and free divers represented 8% of unprovoked bites.
Australia recorded nine unprovoked shark attacks in 2024, below the five-year average of 15, and there were no fatalities from shark attacks. According to n-tv, “All 13 shark species known to have bitten humans are represented in Australian waters.” The absence of fatalities marks a calm year for the relationship between humans and sharks in the region.
Despite the overall decline, there were four fatal unprovoked shark attacks worldwide in 2024, a decrease from ten fatalities in 2023. One of the fatal attacks occurred off the northwest coast of Oahu, Hawaii, involving an unknown shark species. this incident was the only unprovoked fatality in the United States in 2024.
Experts emphasized that while the risk of shark attacks remains extremely low, beachgoers should still exercise caution. “The overall probability of a shark attack remains extremely low,” according to Forbes. Precautions to reduce the already minimal risk include swimming in groups, avoiding swimming at dawn and dusk when sharks are most active, steering clear of fishing areas, and removing shiny jewelry before entering the water.
“People surf where there are good waves, and where there are good waves, there's turbidity, and where there is turbidity, there are often bait fish that attract sharks. The turbidity also reduces visibility in the water, making it harder for sharks to see. Some of them make mistakes,” said Naylor.
Unprovoked attacks are defined by the ISAF as incidents where a shark bites a human in its natural habitat without human provocation. Provoked bites occur when a human initiates interaction with a shark, such as during spearfishing or attempts to free a shark from a net. In 2024, there were 24 provoked shark attacks recorded worldwide.
The decline in shark attacks may also be linked to a reduction in shark populations. Research indicates that populations of large shark species, including white sharks, are now smaller than a few decades ago, which could be a possible cause of the decrease in attacks. Overfishing and demand from various industries have contributed to the decline in shark numbers, potentially leading to fewer encounters with humans.
Despite the decrease, the ISAF and experts caution against complacency. Population growth along coastlines, increased popularity of water sports, and climate change affecting water temperature and shark migration patterns can all contribute to a greater number of interactions between humans and sharks.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.