There was a significant increase in lethal shark attacks last year compared to previous years, and an uptick in unprovoked attacks, new data from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) has shown.
The data, which was compiled by the University of Florida, is the only complete database of shark attacks globally.
According to the data, in 2023, there were 69 unprovoked bites, compared to the previous five-year average of 63. Moreover, the number of fatal attacks last year doubled, with 10 lethal incidents being recorded compared to just 5 in 2022.
“This is within the range of the normal number of bites, though the fatalities are a bit unnerving this year,” said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s shark research program.
While ISAF documents and investigates all bites on humans by sharks, the annual report focuses mainly on “unprovoked” attacks. These are defined as any instance in which a shark is in its natural habitat and attacks without any human provocation, which includes intentionally approaching a shark or swimming in an area where bait is being used to lure fish. Unprovoked bites, they say, are the most useful for studying how sharks behave.
“We’re biologists, and we want to understand the natural behaviour of the animals — not the unnatural behaviour,” Naylor said.
ISAF’s records include an additional 22 attacks last year that were intentionally or unintentionally provoked, with the most common victim activity at the time of provoked attacks being spearfishing.
The research also found that Australia was overrepresented in the fatality statistics, with surfers getting “the brunt” of the attacks. Although the country accounted for just 22% of all shark attacks, it was home to 40% of the fatalities.
Speaking to Newsweek, Naylor speculated as to why this might be.
“It’s possible that white shark populations are increasing – at least at aggregation sites near seal colonies,” he said.
“Also, its possible that surfing activity has increased in some of the sites in South Australia.”
The report’s authors specifically highlighted the remote Eyre Peninsula on the coast of southern Australia, which is a popular surfing location, but also happens to be home to seal colonies and a high density of great white sharks. This area was the location of three shark bite fatalities in 2023.
“If a [great] white shark is going after a seal and the seal knows it, the white shark hasn’t got a chance,” Naylor said.
“Seals are really agile, so the only ones that get caught are the ones that are goofing off and flopping around on the surface minding their own business. And that’s kind of what a surfer looks like.”
Surfers experienced 42% of bites worldwide, with swimmers and waders at 39%.
According to the report, the “vast majority” of unprovoked attacks are “test bites” where a shark misidentifies a human as their preferred prey, such as a seal.
“When this happens, the shark will typically swim away after a single bite,” the report’s authors said in a statement.
“Some species like white sharks and tiger sharks, however, are large enough that even a single bite can be fatal.”
However, “unusual incidents” when a shark continues biting their victim, rather than swimming away, have been documented with tiger sharks, bull sharks and white sharks.
“This February marks the 50th anniversary of the book “Jaws,” and notably, the number of recorded white shark bites have increased precipitously over the last few decades,” the statement reads.
“This pattern isn’t due to increased aggression from white sharks, but rather a combination of more of people being in the ocean each year and a stronger emphasis placed on reporting bites and fatalities.”
Despite all of these facts,the report authors stress that individuals are “more likely to win the lottery than to be attacked by a shark” and that it is often simply a “numbers game” of more people being in the water leading to more bites.
“Despite the increase, the number of bites and fatalities that occurred in 2023 are within the average for the last decade,” the report summary reads.
“Each year, there are consistently fewer than 100 unprovoked bites, making it more likely for someone to win the lottery than to be attacked by a shark.
“When there are more attacks, it often means that more people are spending time in the water — not that sharks have become more dangerous.
“…Something as simple as a holiday weekend falling on particularly hot days can contribute to a spike in attacks.”
While the odds of being bitten by a shark are “incredibly low,” the ISAF recommends taking certain precautions, such as staying close to the shore, not swimming at dawn or dusk, and avoiding “excessive splashing.”