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{{short description|Attack on a human by a shark}}{{other uses|Shark Attack (disambiguation)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

factoids

A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year, around 80 unprovoked attacks are reported worldwide.WEB, The 2016 yearly total of 81 unprovoked attacks was on par with our most recent five-year (2011–2015) average of 82 incidents & 11 deaths annually.,www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/isaf/worldwide-summary/, Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, International Shark Attack File, 27 November 2017, Despite their rarity,WEB,news.asu.edu/20200806-discoveries-asu-shark-scientist-fatal-shark-attacks-extremely-rare, ASU shark scientist: Fatal shark attacks ‘extremely rare’, 6 August 2020, ASU News, WEB,www.theguardian.com/science/2011/aug/17/shark-attacks-rare-deaths-rarer, Shark attacks are rare – and related deaths even rarer, 17 August 2011, The Guardian, WEB,www.vox.com/2014/7/8/5878881/shark-attacks-rising-comparison-dogs, How common are shark attacks, really?, Brad, Plumer, 8 July 2014, Vox, NEWS,www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/16/chart-the-animals-that-are-most-likely-to-kill-you-this-summer, Chart: The animals that are most likely to kill you this summer – The Washington Post, The Washington Post, many people fear shark attacks after occasional serial attacks, such as the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, and horror fiction and films such as the Jaws series. Out of more than 500 shark species, only three are responsible for a double-digit number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger, and bull.ISAF Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark The oceanic whitetip has probably killed many more shipwreck and plane crash survivors, but these are not recorded in the statistics.WEB, Edmonds, Molly,animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/most-dangerous-shark2.htm, HowStuffWorks “Dangerous Shark 4: Oceanic Whitetip Shark”, Animals.howstuffworks.com, 5 June 2008, 23 September 2010, Humans are not part of a shark’s normal diet. Sharks usually feed on small fish and invertebrates, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals. A shark attack will usually occur if the shark feels curious or confused.WEB, US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Are sharks dangerous?,oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sharkseat.html, 2024-01-04, oceanservice.noaa.gov, EN-US,

Terminology

While the term “shark attack” is in common use for instances of humans being wounded by sharks, it has been suggested that this is based largely on the assumption that large predatory sharks (such as great white, bull, and tiger sharks) only seek humans as prey. A 2013 review recommends that only in instances where a shark clearly predates on a human should the bite incident be termed an “attack,” implying predation. Otherwise, it is more accurate to class bite incidents as “fatal bite incidents”. Sightings do include physical interaction, encounters including physical interaction with harm, shark bites include major shark bite incidents, including those that require medical attention, and fatal shark bite incidents that result in death. The study suggests that only where an expert validates the predatory intent of a shark would it be appropriate to term a bite incident an attack.JOURNAL, Pepin-Neff, Christopher, Christopher Pepin-Neff, Hueter, Robert, 23 January 2013, Science, policy, and the public discourse of shark “attack”: a proposal for reclassifying human–shark interactions,www.researchgate.net/publication/235930824, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, en, 3, 1, 65–73, 10.1007/s13412-013-0107-2, free,

Statistics

(File:Total shark attacks per year, OWID.svg|thumb|upright=2|Total shark attacks per year, 1749 to 2018WEB, Total shark attacks per year,ourworldindata.org/grapher/total-shark-attacks-per-year, Our World in Data, ){| class=“wikitable sortable” style="width:auto; float:right; clear:right; margin:0 0 0.5em 1em; text-align:right; font-size: 85%;” Confirmed unprovoked shark attacks, 1958–2023! Region! Totalattacks! Fatalattacks! LastfatalityUnited States{{efn|2021Australia6472612023Africa347952023Asia129482000Hawaii137HTTPS://DLNR.HAWAII.GOV/SHARKS/SHARK-INCIDENTS/INCIDENTS-LIST/ >TITLE=INCIDENTS LIST WORK=GOVERNMENT OF HAWAIIFIRST=KRISTIN DATE=27 MAY 2019 NEWSPAPER=USA TODAY GANNETT >EDITOR=THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, The Associated Press, Pacific Islands / Oceania {{efn|2023South America117262018HTTPS://WWW.MENSHEALTH.COM/TRENDING-NEWS/A21071724/TEEN-DIES-AFTER-LOSING-LEG-AND-PENIS-IN-SHARK-ATTACK/ >TITLE = A TEEN DIED AFTER LOSING HIS LEG AND PENIS IN A HORRIFIC SHARK ATTACK, 4 June 2018, Antilles and ‘’’The Bahamas’’’>|2022Middle America (Americas)’’’>|2011Europe52HTTPS://WWW.FLORIDAMUSEUM.UFL.EDU/SHARK-ATTACKS/MAPS/EUROPE/ >TITLE=CONFIRMED UNPROVOKED SHARK ATTACKS (1847–PRESENT). EUROPE WORK=FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY|1989New Zealand50102021Réunion Island39192019HTTPS://WWW.BFMTV.COM/POLICE-JUSTICE/REUNION-MORT-D-UN-SURFEUR-APRES-UNE-ATTAQUE-DE-REQUIN-1688603.HTML>TITLE=UN SURFEUR TUé APRèS UNE ATTAQUE DE REQUIN à LA RéUNIONNEWSPAPER=BFMTV, Bermuda30 — class=“sortbottom“! style="background:#ddf; text-align:center;“| Total:! style="background:#ddf; text-align:right;“| 2900! style="background:#ddf; text-align:right;“| 633! style="background:#ddf; text-align:right;“| 2023 class=“sortbottom”Shark Attack Data Australia taronga.org.au/animals-conservation/conservation-science/australian-shark-attack-file/latest-figures" title="web.archive.org/web/20180903024600taronga.org.au/animals-conservation/conservation-science/australian-shark-attack-file/latest-figures">Australian Shark Attack File for unprovoked attacks in AustraliaInternational Shark Attack File for unprovoked attacks in all other regions{{center|Last Updated: 9 February 2023}}{{clear}}According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), between 1958 and 2016 there were 2,785 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks around the world, of which 439 were fatal.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/GAttack/World.htm, World’s Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks, 25 August 2015, International Shark Attack File, 10 September 2015, Between 2001 and 2010, an average of 4.3 people per year died from shark attacks.In 2000, there were 79 shark attacks reported worldwide, 11 of them fatal.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/statistics/statsw.htm, ISAF Statistics for the Top Ten Worldwide Locations with the Highest Shark Attack Activity (1999–2009), Florida Museum of Natural History Flmnh.ufl.edu, 25 March 2010, 23 September 2010, In 2005 and 2006, this number decreased to 61 and 62 respectively, while the number of fatalities dropped to only four per year. The 2016 yearly total of 81 shark attacks worldwide was on par with the most recent five-year (2011–2015) average of 82 incidents annually.WEB, ISAF 2016 Worldwide Shark Attack Summary,www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/isaf/worldwide-summary/, Florida Museum of Natural History, 24 April 2017, By contrast, the 98 shark attacks in 2015 was the highest yearly total on record. There were four fatalities worldwide in 2016, which is lower than the average of eight fatalities per year worldwide in the 2011–2015 period and six deaths per annum over the past decade. In 2016, 58% of attacks were on surfers.Despite these reports, however, the actual number of fatal shark attacks worldwide remains uncertain. In most Third World coastal nations, no method of reporting suspected shark attacks exists. Therefore, losses and fatalities near-shore or at sea often remain unsolved or unpublicized.Of these attacks, most occurred in the United States (53 in 2000, 40 in 2005, and 39 in 2006).WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/statsus.htm, ISAF Statistics for the USA Locations with the Highest Shark Attack Activity Since 1999, Flmnh.ufl.edu, 3 May 2010, 23 September 2010, The New York Times reported in July 2008 that there had been only one fatal attack in the previous year.NEWS,www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/science/29tier.html, 10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List, The New York Times, 19 September 2010, John, Tierney, 29 July 2008, On average, there are 16 shark attacks per year in the United States, with one fatality every two years.WEB,news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html,news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20050615234827news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html,">web.archive.org/web/20050615234827news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html, dead, 15 June 2005, Shark Facts: Attack Stats, Record Swims, More, News.nationalgeographic.com, 28 October 2010, 17 August 2012, According to the ISAF, the US states in which the most attacks have occurred are Florida, Hawaii, California, Texas and the Carolinas, though attacks have occurred in almost every coastal state.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/GAttack/mapusa.htm, Map of United States (incl. Hawaii) Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks, Flmnh.ufl.edu, 26 August 2010, 16 February 2012, Australia has the highest number of fatal shark attacks in the world, with Western Australia recently becoming the deadliest place in the world for shark attacksWEB,au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/13318209/wa-deadiest-for-shark-attacks/, WA ‘deadiest’ for shark attacks – The West Australian, Au.news.yahoo.com, 1 April 2012, 17 August 2012, with total and fatal shark bites growing exponentially over the last 40 years.JOURNAL, Sprivulis, P, Western Australian Coastal Shark Bites: A risk assessment, Australasian Medical Journal, 2014, 3941575, 24611078, 10.4066/AMJ.2014.2008, 7, 2, 137–42, Since 2000, there have been 17 fatal shark attacks along the West Australian coast,NEWS, Timeline of shark attacks along the Western Australian coast,www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/timeline-of-shark-attacks-along-the-western-australian-coast-20170418-gvn5jm.html, 11 October 2020, WA Today, with divers now facing odds of one in 16,000 for a fatal shark bite.WEB, Shark attacks and whale migration in Western Australia,www.washarkattacks.net, 25 April 2017, Other shark attack hotspots include Réunion Island,JOURNAL,www.researchgate.net/publication/314162399, Clinical features of 27 shark attack cases on La Réunion Island (PDF Download Available), Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 82, 5, 952–955, en, 23 July 2017, 10.1097/TA.0000000000001399, 28248805, 2017, Ballas, Richard, Saetta, Ghislain, Peuchot, Charline, Elkienbaum, Philippe, Poinsot, Emmanuelle, 21996541, Boa Viagem in Brazil, Makena Beach in Maui, Hawaii, and Second Beach, Port St. Johns, South Africa.WEB, The World’s 10 Deadliest Shark Attack Beaches,www.theinertia.com/surf/10-shark-attack-beaches/, The Inertia, 25 April 2017, South Africa has a high number of shark attacks along with a high fatality rate of 27 percent.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/GAttack/World.htm, Map of World’s Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks, Flmnh.ufl.edu, 6 January 2011, 25 November 2011, As of 28 June 1992,WEB,www.sharkattackdata.com/gsaf/place/brazil, Shark Attack Data Brazil, Shark Attack Data, 23 December 2017, Recife in Brazil began officially registering shark attacks on its beaches (mainly on the beach of Boa Viagem). Over more than two decades, 64 victims were attacked, of whom 26 died. The last deadly attack occurred on 10 July 2021.WEB,www.folhape.com.br/noticias/maioria-dos-incidentes-com-tubarao-em-pernambuco-ocorreu-no-mes-de/191672/, Maioria dos incidentes com tubarão em Pernambuco ocorreu no mês de julho;, Folha de Pernambuco, 27 July 2021, 2 July 2022,web.archive.org/web/20211109190632/https://www.folhape.com.br/noticias/maioria-dos-incidentes-com-tubarao-em-pernambuco-ocorreu-no-mes-de/191672/, 9 November 2021, live, The attacks were caused by the bull shark and tiger shark species.WEB,visitarecife.com.br/ataques-de-tubarao-em-recife/, Ataques de tubarão em Recife – Conheça a verdade e as causas desse fenômeno., Visitar Recife, 27 November 2015, 23 December 2017, The shark attacks in Recife have an unusually high fatality rate of about 37%. This is much higher than the worldwide shark attack fatality rate, which is currently about 16%, according to Florida State Museum of Natural History.WEB,www.bbc.com/news/world-radio-and-tv-19720455, The beautiful Brazilian beaches plagued by shark attacks, BBC, 27 September 2012, 23 December 2017, Several factors have contributed to the unusually high attack and fatality rates, including pollution from sewage runoffWEB,www.bbc.com/news/world-radio-and-tv-19720455, The beautiful Brazilian beaches plagued by shark attacks, BBC, 27 September 2012, 6 December 2019, and a (now closed) local slaughterhouse.WEB,www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2006-07-29-0607270889-story.html, SHARK WEEK! FLORIDA EXPERT WADES INTO SCARY BRAZIL WATERS, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 29 July 2006, 6 December 2019, The place with the most recorded shark attacks is New Smyrna Beach, Florida.NEWS,www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2008-04-18-shark-beaches-forbes_N.htm, USA Today, 21 April 2008, 9 April 2010, North America’s top shark-attack beaches, Stephen, Regenold, Developed nations such as the United States, Australia and, to some extent, South Africa, facilitate more thorough documentation of shark attacks on humans than developing coastal nations. The increased use of technology has enabled Australia and the United States to record more data than other nations, which could somewhat bias the results. In addition, individuals and institutions in South Africa, the United States, and Australia keep a file which is regularly updated by an entire research team, the International Shark Attack File, and the Australian Shark Attack File.The Florida Museum of Natural History compares these statistics with the much higher rate of deaths from other causes. For example, an average of more than 38 people die annually from lightning strikes in coastal states, while less than 1 person per year is killed by a shark in Florida.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/attacks/relarisk.htm, The Relative Risk of Shark Attacks to Humans, Flmnh.ufl.edu, 23 September 2010, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. A Comparison with the Number of Lightning Fatalities in Coastal United States: 1959–2006 In the United States, the likelihood that a person who goes to beaches will be attacked by a shark is 1 in 11.5 million, and a person’s chance of getting killed by a shark is less than 1 in 264.1 million.However, in certain situations the risk of a shark attack is higher. For example, in the southwest of Western Australia the chances of a surfer being fatally bitten by a shark in winter or spring are 1 in 40,000 and for divers it is 1 in 16,000. In comparison to the risk of a serious or fatal cycling accident, this represents three times the risk for a surfer and seven times the risk for a diver.In comparison to previous years, ISAF reported a total of 57 unprovoked shark bites worldwide in 2022, which is lower than the past five-year average of 70 incidents annually. There were also 32 provoked bites, 4 boat bites, and a few other incidents classified differently, totaling 108 cases investigated by ISAF in 2022. This reflects a decrease in both fatal and non-fatal shark bites.WEB, Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary,www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/yearly-worldwide-summary/, 2024-02-03, International Shark Attack File, en-US,

Species involved in incidents

File:Snorkeler with blacktip reef shark.jpg|thumb|300px|left|A blacktip reef sharkblacktip reef sharkOnly a few shark species are dangerous to humans. Out of more than 480 shark species, only three are responsible for two-digit numbers of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull. However, the oceanic whitetip has probably killed many more ship wreck and plane crash survivors, who have not been included in the statistics. These sharks, being large and powerful predators, may sometimes attack and kill people, even though all have been filmed in open water by unprotected divers.WEB,www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051231/NEWS11/512310330/1001/NEWS, Hawaiian newspaper article, Honoluluadvertiser.com, 23 September 2010, The 1992 Cageless shark-diving expedition by Ron and Valerie Taylor. The 2010 French film Oceans shows footage of humans swimming next to sharks in the ocean. It is possible that the sharks can sense the presence of unnatural elements on or about the divers, such as polyurethane diving suits and air tanks, which may lead them to accept the divers as more of a curiosity than prey. Uncostumed humans, however, such as those surfboarding, light snorkeling or swimming, present a much greater area of exposed skin surface to sharks. In addition, the presence of even small traces of blood, recent minor abrasions, cuts, scrapes, or bruises, may lead sharks to attack a human in their environment. Sharks seek out prey through electroreception, sensing the electric fields that are generated by all animals due to the activity of their nerves and muscles.Most of the oceanic whitetip shark’s attacks have not been recorded, unlike the other three species mentioned above. Famed oceanographic researcher Jacques Cousteau described the oceanic whitetip as “the most dangerous of all sharks”.BOOK, Cousteau, Jacques-Yves, Cousteau, Philippe, amp, The Shark: Splendid Savage of the Sea, Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1970, File:Watsonandtheshark-original.jpg|thumb|Watson and the Shark by J.S. Copley, based on the attack on Brook Watson in Havana HarborHavana HarborModern-day statistics show the oceanic whitetip shark as seldom being involved in unprovoked attacks. However, there have been a number of attacks involving this species, particularly during World War I and World War II. The oceanic whitetip lives in the open sea and rarely shows up near coasts, where most recorded incidents occur. During the world wars, many ship and aircraft disasters happened in the open ocean, and because of its former abundance, the oceanic whitetip was often the first species on site when such a disaster happened.Infamous examples of oceanic whitetip attacks include the sinking of the Nova Scotia, a British steamship carrying 1,000 people that was torpedoed by a German submarine on 18 November 1942, near South Africa. Only 192 people survived, with many deaths attributed to the oceanic whitetip shark.Bass, A.J., J.D. D’Aubrey & N. Kistnasamy. 1973. “Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa. 1. The genus Carcharhinus (Carcharhinidae).” Invest. Rep. Oceanogr. Res. Inst., Durban, no. 33, 168 pp. The same species is believed to have been responsible for many of the 600–800 or more casualties following the torpedoing of the USS Indianapolis on 30 July 1945.WEB, Martin, R. Aidan, Elasmo Research, ReefQuest, 6 February 2006,www.elasmo-research.org/education/shark_profiles/carcharhinidae.htm, Black December refers to at least nine shark attacks on humans, causing six deaths, that occurred along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, from 18 December 1957 to 5 April 1958.WEB,news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0603_020604_shark2.html,news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0603_020604_shark2.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20020605020124news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0603_020604_shark2.html,">web.archive.org/web/20020605020124news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0603_020604_shark2.html, dead, 5 June 2002, South Africa Rethinks Use of Shark Nets, 22 April 2017, In addition to the four species responsible for a significant number of fatal attacks on humans, a number of other species have attacked humans without being provoked, and have on extremely rare occasions been responsible for a human death. This group includes the shortfin mako, hammerhead, Galapagos, grey reef, blacktip, lemon, silky shark, and blue sharks. These sharks are also large, powerful predators which can be provoked simply by being in the water at the wrong time and place, but they are normally considered less dangerous to humans than the previous group.On the evening of 16 March 2009, a new addition was made to the list of sharks known to have attacked human beings. In a painful but not directly life-threatening incident, a long-distance swimmer crossing the Alenuihaha Channel between the islands of Hawai’i and Maui was attacked by a cookiecutter shark. The two bites were delivered about 15 seconds apart.University of Florida News news.ufl.edu/2011/06/30/cookiecutter-shark/" title="web.archive.org/web/20110813084241news.ufl.edu/2011/06/30/cookiecutter-shark/">New study documents first cookiecutter shark attack on a live humanFile:White shark.jpg|The great white shark is involved in the most fatal unprovoked attacksFile:Scarface-tigershark.jpg|The tiger shark ranks as the second most fatal in unprovoked attacksWEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/species3.htm, ISAF Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark, Global Shark Attack File, 9 May 2020, 9 May 2020, File:Bullshark Beqa Fiji 2007.jpg|The bull shark ranks as the third most fatal in unprovoked attacks

Types of attacks

Shark attack indices use different criteria to determine if an attack was “provoked” or “unprovoked.” When considered from the shark’s point of view, attacks on humans who are perceived as a threat to the shark or a competitor to its food source are all “provoked” attacks. Neither the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) nor the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF) accord casualties of air/sea disasters “provoked” or “unprovoked” status. Rather, these incidents are considered a separate category.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/isaf/2011summary.html, ISAF 2011 Worldwide Shark Attack Summary, Burgess, George H., George H. Burgess, Global Shark Attack File, 26 June 2012, WEB,www.sharkattackfile.net/incidentlog.htm, Incident Log, Global Shark Attack File, 26 June 2012, Postmortem scavenging of human remains (typically drowning victims) are also not accorded “provoked” or “unprovoked” status. The GSAF categorizes scavenging bites on humans as “questionable incidents.” The most common criteria for determining “provoked” and “unprovoked” attacks are discussed below:

Provoked attack

Provoked attacks occur when a human touches, hooks, nets, or otherwise aggravates the animal. Incidents that occur outside of a shark’s natural habitat, such as aquariums and research holding-pens, are considered provoked, as are all incidents involving captured sharks. Sometimes humans inadvertently provoke an attack, such as when a surfer accidentally hits a shark with a surf board.

Unprovoked attack

Unprovoked attacks are initiated by the shark—they occur in a shark’s natural habitat on a live human and without human provocation. There are three subcategories of unprovoked attack:

• Hit-and-run attack – usually non-fatal, the shark bites and then leaves; most victims do not see the shark. This is the most common type of attack and typically occurs in the surf zone or in murky water. Most hit-and-run attacks are believed to be the result of mistaken identity.WEB,www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/attacks/howwhen.htm, How, When, & Where Sharks Attack, Burgess, George H., George H. Burgess, International Shark Attack File, 26 June 2012,
• Sneak attack – the victim will not usually see the shark, and may sustain multiple deep bites. This kind of attack is predatory in nature and is often carried out with the intention of consuming the victim. It is extraordinarily rare for this to occur.
• Bump-and-bite attack – the shark circles and bumps the victim before biting. Great whites are known to do this on occasion, referred to as a “test bite”, in which the great white is trying to identify what is being bitten. Repeated bites, depending on the reaction of the victim (thrashing or panicking may lead the shark to believe the victim is prey), are not uncommon and can be severe or fatal. Bump-and-bite attacks are not believed to be the result of mistaken identity.

An incident occurred in 2011 when a 3-meter long (~500 kg) great white shark jumped onto a 7-person research vessel off Seal Island, South Africa. The crew were undertaking a population study using sardines as bait and initially retreated to safety in the bow of the ship while the shark thrashed about, damaging equipment and fuel lines. To keep the shark alive while a rescue ship towed the research vessel to shore, the crew poured water over its gills and eventually used a pump for mechanical ventilation. The shark was ultimately lifted back into the water by crane and, after becoming disoriented and beaching itself in the harbor, was successfully towed out to sea. The incident was judged an accident.NEWS, Xan, Rice, Great white shark jumps from sea into research boat, 19 July 2011,www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/19/great-white-shark-jumps-boat, The Guardian, 20 July 2011, Marine researchers in South Africa had a narrow escape after a three-metre-long great white shark breached the surface of the sea and leaped into their boat, becoming trapped on deck for more than an hour. [...] Enrico Gennari, an expert on great white sharks, [...] said it was almost certainly an accident rather than an attack on the boat., London,

Reasons for attacks

Large sharks species are apex predators in their environment,WEB,na.nefsc.noaa.gov/sharks/, Apex Predators Program, Na.nefsc.noaa.gov, 23 September 2010, 10 February 2014,na.nefsc.noaa.gov/sharks/," title="web.archive.org/web/20140210000630na.nefsc.noaa.gov/sharks/,">web.archive.org/web/20140210000630na.nefsc.noaa.gov/sharks/, dead, and thus have little fear of any creature (other than orcasJOURNAL, Turner, Pamela S., Showdown at Sea: What happens when great white sharks go fin-to-fin with killer whales?, National Wildlife, 42, 6, Oct–Nov 2004,www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2004/Showdown-at-Sea.aspx, 21 August 2012, ) with which they cross paths. Like most sophisticated hunters, they are curious when they encounter something unusual in their territories. Lacking any limbs with sensitive digits such as hands or feet, the only way they can explore an object or organism is to bite it. These bites are known as test bites.WEB,www.romow.com/travel-blog/what-to-expect-on-your-great-white-shark-diving-tour/, What To Expect on Your Great White Shark Diving Tour, Romow.com, 7 August 2009, 23 September 2010, Generally, shark bites are exploratory, and the animal will swim away after one bite. For example, exploratory bites on surfers are thought to be caused by the shark mistaking the surfer and surfboard for the shape of prey.WEB, Grabianowski, Ed,adventure.howstuffworks.com/shark-attack.htm, HowStuffWorks “How Shark Attacks Work”, Adventure.howstuffworks.com, 10 August 2005, 23 September 2010, Nonetheless, a single bite can grievously injure a human if the animal involved is a powerful predator such as a great white or tiger shark.WEB, Grabianowski, Ed,adventure.howstuffworks.com/shark-attack4.htm, HowStuffWorks “Shark Attack Damage”, Adventure.howstuffworks.com, 10 August 2005, 23 September 2010, A shark will normally make one swift attack and then retreat to wait for the victim to die or weaken from shock and blood loss, before returning to feed. This protects the shark from injury from a wounded and aggressive target; it also allows humans time to get out of the water and survive.WEB, Great White Shark,www.extremescience.com/GreatWhiteShark.htm, 23 September 2010, Extremescience.com, Shark attacks may also occur due to territorial reasons or as dominance over another shark species.WEB, Grabianowski, Ed,adventure.howstuffworks.com/shark-attack1.htm, HowStuffWorks “Shark Sensory System”, Adventure.howstuffworks.com, 10 August 2005, 23 September 2010, Sharks are equipped with sensory organs called the Ampullae of Lorenzini that detect the electricity generated by muscle movement.WEB,www.marinebiodiversity.ca/shark/english/ampul.htm, Ampullae of Lorenzini, Marinebiodiversity.ca, 23 September 2010, The shark’s electrical receptors, which pick up movement, detect signals like those emitted from wounded fish. For example, someone who is spearfishing, leading the shark to attack the person by mistake. According to George H. Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, “Attacks are basically an odds game based on how many hours you are in the water”.NEWS,news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1161702.stm, BBC News, Shark attacks at record high, 9 February 2001, 6 April 2010,

Prevention

Reducing the risks

General advice to reduce risks of being bitten by a shark include:WEB, 2018-01-24, Advice to Swimmers,www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/reduce-risk/swimmers/, 2022-07-03, Florida Museum, en-US,

• Staying in groups, as solitary individuals are more at risk of being bitten
• Only going in the water during the day
• Avoiding areas with a lot of fish or fishers
• Not wearing jewelry, which can create reflections like fish scale
• Avoiding splashes at the surface, because it makes sound which attracts sharks

Shark barrier

File:Coogee Beach gnangarra-215.jpg|thumb|Coogee Beach shark barrier floats and jetty]]A shark barrier (otherwise known as a “shark-proof enclosure” or “beach enclosure“) is a seabed-to-surface protective barrier that is placed around a beach to separate people from sharks. Shark barriers form a fully enclosed swimming area that prevents sharks from entering.NEWS, Meerman, Ruben, Shark nets, ABC Science, 16 January 2009,www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/03/07/2116717.htm, 5 January 2017, live,www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/03/07/2116717.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20161129034201www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/03/07/2116717.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20161129034201www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2002/03/07/2116717.htm, 29 November 2016, Shark barrier design has evolved from rudimentary fencing materials to netted structures held in place with buoys and anchors. Recent designs have used plastics to increase strength and versatility.When deployed in sheltered areas, shark barriers offer complete protection and are seen as a more environmentally friendly option as they largely avoid bycatch. However, barriers are not effective on surf beaches because they usually disintegrate in the swell. Thus, barriers are normally constructed only around sheltered areas such as harbour beaches.NEWS,www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-22/fact-file-protecting-people-from-shark-attacks/5164882, 5 January 2015, Fact File: Protecting people from shark attacks, ABC News,

Shark nets

In Australia and South Africa, shark nets are used to reduce the risk of shark attack. Since 1936, shark nets have been used off Sydney beaches.WEB,52.64.240.87/environment/20632/nick-carroll-on-beyond-the-panic-the-facts-about-shark-nets, Nick Carroll On-Beyond the Panic, The Facts about Shark Nets, Carroll, Nick, Coastal Watch, 22 November 2016, 5 March 2017,52.64.240.87/environment/20632/nick-carroll-on-beyond-the-panic-the-facts-about-shark-nets," title="web.archive.org/web/2017030500233052.64.240.87/environment/20632/nick-carroll-on-beyond-the-panic-the-facts-about-shark-nets,">web.archive.org/web/2017030500233052.64.240.87/environment/20632/nick-carroll-on-beyond-the-panic-the-facts-about-shark-nets, dead, Shark nets are currently installed at beaches in New South Wales and Queensland; 83 beaches are meshed in Queensland compared with 51 in New South Wales.WEB,www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4275374/beyond-the-panic-the-facts-about-shark-nets/, Beyond the panic: the facts about shark nets, Australian Community Media – Fairfax Media, 8 November 2016, 22 April 2017, Since 1952, nets have been installed at numerous beaches in South Africa by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.Shark nets do not offer complete protection but work on the principle of “fewer sharks, fewer attacks”. They reduce occurrence via shark mortality. Reducing the local shark populations is believed to reduce the chance of an attack. Historical shark attack figures suggest that shark nets and drumlines markedly reduce the incidence of shark attack when regularly and consistently implemented.WEB,www.researchgate.net/publication/260382789, Responding to the risk of white shark attack: updated statistics, prevention, control, methods and recommendation. Chapter 29 In: M. L. Domeier (ed). Global Perspectives on the Biology and Life History of the White Shark, Curtis, etal, 2012, CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL., 18 January 2020, NEWS,www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-22/can-governments-protect-people-from-killer-sharks/5158880, Can governments protect people from killer sharks?, ABC News, 22 December 2013, 22 April 2017, The downside of shark nets is that they result in bycatch, including threatened and endangered species.WEB,briantissot.com/2015/08/20/shark-attacks-and-the-surfers-dilemma-cull-or-conserve/, Shark Attacks and the Surfer’s Dilemma: Cull or Conserve?, 21 August 2015, 22 April 2017, Between September 2017 and April 2018, 403 animals were killed in the nets in New South Wales, including 10 critically endangered grey nurse sharks, 7 dolphins, 7 green sea turtles, and 14 great white sharks.WEB,www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/08/04/sydney-shark-nets-set-stay-despite-drumline-success, Sydney shark nets set to stay despite drumline success {{!, Swellnet Dispatch {{!}} Swellnet}} Swellnet.com. Sydney shark nets set to stay despite drumline success. Bruce Mackenzie. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018. Between 1950 and 2008, 352 tiger sharks and 577 great white sharks were killed in the nets in New South Wales. Also during this period, 15,135 marine animals were killed in the nets, including whales, turtles, rays, dolphins, and dugongs.WEB,www.marineconservation.org.au/pages/shark-culling.html,web.archive.org/web/20181002102324/https://www.marineconservation.org.au/pages/shark-culling.html, dead, 2018-10-02, Shark culling · Save our Sharks · Australian Marine Conservation Society, Marineconservation.org.au. Shark culling (archived). Retrieved 2 December 2018. KwaZulu-Natal’s net program, operated by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, has killed more than 33,000 sharks in a 30-year period. During the same 30-year period, 2,211 turtles, 8,448 rays, and 2,310 dolphins were killed in KwaZulu-Natal.Shark nets have been criticized by environmentalists, scientists, and conservationists, who assert that shark nets harm the marine ecosystemwww.sharkangels.org/index.php/media/news/157-shark-nets {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919132309www.sharkangels.org/index.php/media/news/157-shark-nets |date=19 September 2018 }} Shark Nets. Sharkangels.org. Retrieved 18 September 2018.WEB,www.sbs.com.au/news/nsw-govt-won-t-back-down-on-shark-nets, NSW govt won’t back down on shark nets {{!, SBS News}} NSW govt won’t back down on shark nets. Sbs.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2018. In particular, the current net program in New South Wales has been described as being “extremely destructive” to marine life.WEB,www.buzzfeed.com/elfyscott/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-australias-smart-drum, Here’s What You Need To Know About Australia’s SMART Drum Lines Being Used To Prevent Shark Attacks, BuzzFeed, Here’s What You Need To Know About Australia’s SMART Drum Lines Being Used To Prevent Shark Attacks. Elfy Scott. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018. Sharks are important to the ecosystem and killing them harms the ecosystem.WEB,eu.oceana.org/en/importance-sharks, The Importance of Sharks {{!, Oceana Europe}} Eu.oceana.org. The Importance of Sharks in the Ecosystem. Retrieved 18 September 2018.

Drum lines

A drum line is an unmanned aquatic trap used to lure and capture large sharks using baited hooks. They are typically deployed near popular swimming beaches with the intention of reducing the number of sharks in the vicinity and therefore the probability of shark attack. Drum lines were first deployed to protect users of the marine environment from sharks in Queensland, Australia in 1962. During this time, they were just as successful in reducing the frequency of shark attacks as were shark nets.{{citation|url=http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf/fishweb/sharksafetyreport.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140123173415www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf/fishweb/sharksafetyreport.pdf|archive-date=23 January 2014|access-date=6 January 2017|title=A Report on the Queensland Shark Safety Program|date=March 2006|publisher=Queensland Government, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries|url-status=dead}}JOURNAL, Dudley, S.F.J., A comparison of the shark control programs of New South Wales and Queensland (Australia) and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), Ocean Coast Manag, 34, 1997, 34, 1–27,www.researchgate.net/publication/223563025, 10.1016/S0964-5691(96)00061-0, More recently, drumlines have also been used with great success in Recife, Brazil where the number of attacks has dropped by 97% when the drumlines are deployed.JOURNAL, A green strategy for shark attack mitigation off Recife, Brazil, F. H. V., Hazin, A. S., Afonso, 1 August 2014, Animal Conservation, 17, 4, 287–296, 10.1111/acv.12096, 10400.1/11160, 86034169, free, While shark nets and drum lines share the same purpose, drum lines are more effective at targeting the three sharks that are considered most dangerous to swimmers: the bull shark, tiger shark and great white shark.JOURNAL, Sheldon F.J., Dudley, R.C., Haestier, Cox, K.R., M., Murray, Shark control: Experimental fishing with baited drumlines, Marine and Freshwater Research, 49, 7, 653, January 1998, 10.1071/MF98026, SMART drumlines can also be used to move sharks, which greatly reduces mortality of sharks and bycatch to less than 2%.WEB, NSW North Coast SMART drumline data,www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/sharks/management/smart-drumlines, NSW Government: Department of Primary Industries, 4 December 2018, Drum lines result in bycatch. For example, in 2015 the following was said about Queensland’s “shark control” program (which uses drum lines):{{blockquote|“[Data] reveals the ecological carnage of [Queensland’s] shark control regime. In total, more than 8,000 marine species with some level of protection status have been caught by the Queensland Shark Control Program, including 719 loggerhead turtles, 442 manta rays and 33 critically endangered hawksbill turtles. More than 84,000 marine animals have been ensnared by drum-lines and shark nets since the program began in 1962 [...] Nearly 27,000 marine mammals have been snared. The state’s shark control policy has captured over 5,000 turtles, 1,014 dolphins, nearly 700 dugongs and 120 whales.“WEB,www.afd.org.au/news-articles/queenslands-shark-control-program-has-snagged-84000-animals, Queensland’s Shark Control Program Has Snagged 84,000 Animals, Latest news, Action for Dolphins. Queensland’s Shark Control Program Has Snagged 84,000 Animals. Thom Mitchell. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2018.}}Drum lines have been criticized by environmentalists, conservationists and animal welfare activists, who have asserted that drum lines are unethical, non-scientific, and environmentally destructive. They also claim drum lines harm the marine ecosystem.WEB,www.ausmarinescience.com/marine-science-basics/marine-biology/sharks/, Sharks – Marine Science Australia, Sharks – Marine Science Australia. Ausmarinescience.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018www.seashepherd.org.au/apex-harmony/overview/queensland.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823115901www.seashepherd.org.au/apex-harmony/overview/queensland.html |date=23 August 2017 }} Queensland – Overview. Seashepherd.org.au. Retrieved 18 September 2018.Calla Wahlquist (12 February 2015). WEB,www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/feb/12/was-serious-threat-shark-policy-condemned-by-senate, Western Australia’s ‘serious threat’ shark policy condemned by Senate {{!, Western Australia |work= The Guardian| date = 12 February 2015 }} “Western Australia’s ‘serious threat’ shark policy condemned by Senate”. Retrieved 18 September 2018Carl Meyer (11 December 2013). WEB,theconversation.com/western-australias-shark-culls-lack-bite-and-science-21371, Western Australia’s shark culls lack bite (and science), “Western Australia’s shark culls lack bite (and science)”. Theconversation.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018.Alana Schetzer (8 May 2017). WEB,pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/sharks-how-a-cull-could-ruin-an-ecosystem, Sharks: How a cull could ruin an ecosystem {{!, Pursuit by The University of Melbourne| date = 8 May 2017}} “Sharks: How a cull could ruin an ecosystem”. Science Matters. University of Melbourne – via Pursuit. Retrieved 18 September 2018.Chloe Hubbard (30 April 2017). WEB,www.nbcnews.com/news/world/no-shark-cull-why-some-surfers-don-t-want-kill-n748141, No Shark Cull: Why Some Surfers Don’t Want to Kill Great Whites Despite Lethal Attacks, NBC News, “No Shark Cull: Why Some Surfers Don’t Want to Kill Great Whites Despite Lethal Attacks”. NBC News. Retrieved 18 September 2018.

Other protection methods

File:Signs warning of shark attacks at Boa Viagem Beach in Recife, Brazil.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Signs warning of shark attacks at Boa Viagem Beach in Recife, BrazilBrazilBeach patrols and spotter aircraft are commonly used to protect popular swimming beaches. However aerial patrols have limited effectiveness in reducing shark attacks.WEB,www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/623400/Report-into-the-NSW-Shark-Meshing-Program.pdf,www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/623400/Report-into-the-NSW-Shark-Meshing-Program.pdf," title="wayback.archive-it.org/all/20160616040059www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/623400/Report-into-the-NSW-Shark-Meshing-Program.pdf,">wayback.archive-it.org/all/20160616040059www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/623400/Report-into-the-NSW-Shark-Meshing-Program.pdf, dead, 16 June 2016, Report into the NSW Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program, Green, M., Ganassin, C., Reid, D. D., State of New South Wales through NSW Department of Primary Industries, 21 December 2016, JOURNAL, Robbins, William D., etal, Experimental evaluation of shark detection rates by aerial observers., PLOS One, 9, 2, 2014, e83456, 10.1371/journal.pone.0083456, 24498258, 3911894, 2014PLoSO...983456R, free, Other methods include shark tagging efforts and associated tracking and notification systems, capture and translocation of sharks to offshore waters, research into shark feeding and foraging behaviour,{{citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlQ3DYMQcB0| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/VlQ3DYMQcB0| archive-date=2021-11-18 | url-status=live|title=Thousands protest over shark cull in Australia|work=The Telegraph|location=UK|date=1 February 2014|access-date=5 January 2017}}{{cbignore}} public shark threat education programs and encouraging higher risk user groups, such as surfers, spear-fishers, and divers, to use personal shark protection technology.{{citation|url=http://www.supportoursharks.com/Open_Letter_on_WA_Shark_Policy.pdf|title=Open letter to WA Government re: Proposal to use drum lines for shark population control and targeting of sharks entering protected beach|publisher=Support Our Sharks|access-date=5 January 2017|date=2013}}

Media impact

The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 killed four people in the first two weeks of July 1916 along the New Jersey shore and Matawan Creek in New Jersey. They are generally credited as the beginning of media attention on shark attacks in the United States of America.WEB, 2 Weeks, 4 Deaths, and the Beginning of America’s Fear of Sharks,news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150702-shark-attack-jersey-shore-1916-great-white,news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150702-shark-attack-jersey-shore-1916-great-white/," title="web.archive.org/web/20150703224631news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150702-shark-attack-jersey-shore-1916-great-white/,">web.archive.org/web/20150703224631news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/150702-shark-attack-jersey-shore-1916-great-white/, dead, 3 July 2015, National Geographic News, 28 July 2015, Matt, McCall, July 2, 2015, In 2010 nine Australian survivors of shark attacks banded together to promote a more positive view of sharks. The survivors made particular note of the role of the media in distorting the fear of sharks.attack survivors unite to save sharks, Australian Geographic, 14 September 2010 Films such as Jaws were the cause of large-scale hunting and killing of thousands of sharks.WEB, Choi, Charles Q., How ‘Jaws’ Forever Changed Our View of Great White Sharks,m.livescience.com/8309-jaws-changed-view-great-white-sharks.html, Web, Live Science, 29 August 2013, Jaws had a significant impact on people and gave them an unrealistic view of sharks, causing them to fear them more than they probably should. The media has continued to exploit this fear by sensationalizing attacks and portraying sharks as vicious man-eaters.WEB,researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/9471/, Before and after Jaws: Changing representations of shark attacks, Beryl, Francis, 2011, researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au, 6 December 2017, There are some television shows, such as the famous Shark Week, that are dedicated to the preservation of these animals.WEB,dsc.discovery.com/tv/shark-week/, Shark Week : Discovery Channel, Dsc.discovery.com, 17 August 2012, They demonstrate, through scientific studies, that sharks are not interested in attacking humans and generally mistake humans as prey.

Notable shark attacks

• George Coulthard (1856–1883), Australian cricketer and Australian rules footballer
• Rodney Fox (b. 1940), Australian filmmaker and conservationistWEB,www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2008/03/28/dangerous-shores-for-jaws/, Dangerous shores for Jaws, 10 December 2016, 28 March 2008, The Olive Press, Luke Stewart Media Sociedad Limitada, SL, WEB,www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1019682, ISDHF looks to permanent home, Cliodhna, McGowan, 1 February 2007, 20 June 2009,www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1019682," title="web.archive.org/web/20070716192017www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1019682,">web.archive.org/web/20070716192017www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1019682, 16 July 2007, Caycom Pass,
• Bethany Hamilton (b. 1990), American surfer
• Mathieu Schiller (1979–2011), French body-boarder
• Brook Watson (1735–1807), British soldier and Lord Mayor of London
• Mick Fanning (b. 1981), Australian Pro Surfer
• USS Indianapolis July–August 1945
• NOAAS Discoverer (R 102) March 23, 1994

See also

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Attack sprees

• 2010 Sharm el-Sheikh shark attacks
• Black December
• Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916

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Regions

• List of fatal shark attacks in Australia
• List of fatal shark attacks in the United States
• List of shark attacks in South Africa
• Lists of fatal shark attacks in South Africa
• Red Triangle (Pacific Ocean)
• Shark attacks in Australia
• Shark attacks in South Australia

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Other

• Drum lines
• Shark Arm case
• Shark attack prevention
• Shark culling
• Shark net
• Shark repellent
• Summer of the Shark
• Western Australian shark cull

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References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|Shark attacks}}{{Medical resources| ICD10 = | ICD9 = | ICDO = | OMIM = | DiseasesDB = | MedlinePlus = | eMedicineSubj = | eMedicineTopic = | MeshID = | GeneReviewsNBK = | GeneReviewsName = | NORD = | GARDNum = | GARDName = | Orphanet = | AO = | RP = | WO = | OrthoInfo = | NCI = | Scholia = | SNOMED CT =}}

• International Shark Attack File
• Global Shark Attack File — Open database
• Tracking Sharks — Current Shark Attack Statistics
• Shark Attack Survivors — Shark attack education and prevention

Notes

{{Reflist |group=“nb“}}{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}{{Shark nav}}{{Animal bites and stings}}{{Surfing}}