Researchers: Shark attacks increase after 3 years of decline

Photograph of a shark. (Pexels.com)

GAINESVILLE, FLA. --
Shark assaults elevated world wide in 2021 following three consecutive years of decline, although seaside closures in 2020 attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic might be making the numbers appear extra dramatic than they're, officers stated Monday.

Researchers with the Worldwide Shark Assault File recorded 73 unprovoked incidents final 12 months, in comparison with 52 bites in 2020, in keeping with a brand new report. The analysis is run by the Florida Museum of Pure Historical past and the American Elasmobranch Society.

Worldwide Shark Assault File supervisor Tyler Bowling identified that 52 bites in 2020 have been the bottom documented in additional than a decade. The 73 bites in 2021 extra carefully align with the five-year world common of 72.

"Shark bites dropped drastically in 2020 because of the pandemic." Bowling stated in a press release. "This previous 12 months was far more typical, with common chew numbers from an assortment of species and fatalities from white sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks."

Researchers noticed a complete of 11 shark-related fatalities final 12 months, with 9 thought-about unprovoked. Australia led the world with three unprovoked deaths, adopted by New Caledonia with two. America, Brazil, New Zealand and South Africa every had a single unprovoked deadly shark assault.

Unprovoked assaults happen when there isn't any human provocation. Provoked assaults are outlined as when people provoke contact, similar to divers attempting to the touch a shark or fishermen eradicating a shark from a fishing web, in keeping with the Worldwide Shark Assault File.

Florida has led the U.S. and the remainder of the world in unprovoked shark bites for many years, and the development continued in 2021, researchers stated. Florida had 28 unprovoked bites final 12 months, in comparison with 19 in the remainder of the U.S. and 26 whole exterior the U.S. That is per Florida's most up-to-date five-year annual common of 25 assaults. Of Florida's 28 unprovoked bites, 17 have been in Volusia County, which incorporates Daytona Seashore.

The one deadly unprovoked shark assault within the U.S. in 2021 was in California. A person was killed whereas boogie boarding in Morro Bay on Christmas Eve.