Hannah Medd, founder of the American Shark Conservancy, said that the downward trend for shark bites and deaths is due to better public awareness, but added that higher reporting of shark attacks is likely due to information being more widely available rather than an actual increase in attacks. “Each year we should have more attacks than the last because there’s more humans entering the water, and more hours spent in the water,” said George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research. Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York. "They see a flash of movement and they react," Bowling said. 'Murder Hornets' Have Appeared in the U.S. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2020 TIME USA, LLC. The sharp rise in attacks is the cause of much debate in Réunion. But here's how to stay safe this summer. Shark attacks are on the rise in the U.S.—but it’s not because sharks are getting fiercer. North Carolina teenager Paige Winter lost her leg and several fingers when she was attacked while swimming in Fort Macon, and Austin Reed, 19, is recovering from a shark bite to his foot when he was surfing at the state's Ocean Isle Beach. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Austin Reed, 19, is recovering from a shark bite, Man who survived shark attack in Bahamas details terrifying tussle, Dad shares chilling photos of shark lurking near his kids, 8-year-old bitten by shark in North Carolina expected to make full recovery. If there's lots of people and no sharks, it's zero.". For those who are still fearful of sharks this summer, the experts say the best thing you can do is to go swimming in a group, avoid swimming at dawn and dusk, refrain from long periods of splashing, which can sound like struggling fish to sharks, and keep away from shiny jewelry when in the water, which can look like fish to a shark. More people die each year while taking selfies than during shark attacks, experts said. Now, thanks to fishery regulations in the U.S., shark populations have been gradually increasing since the start of this century, but recovery is slow. The summer months, when more people are visiting beaches and swimming in the water, can lead to more encounters because humans are entering shark territory, experts said. “The key here is, human plus shark equals attack,” Burgess said. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. This summer, it's safe to go in the water. “We’re talking 30 years or more.”. All Rights Reserved. In the last few decades, sharks have been increasingly exploited. “The number of humans and number of sharks influence the chances of them coming together. But even as shark attacks have risen, an individual’s chance of getting attacked by a shark has not, Burgess said, because the human population is increasing faster than the shark population. The increase in attacks—59 last year, up from 31 in 2011—is connected to climate change, experts say. When a shark does bite a human, that shark has mistaken a part of the human for a smaller fish. At the same time, warm weather means people are more likely go swimming, a potentially fatal combination. If there are no people in the water and lots of sharks, the probability of an attack is zero. Yahoo is part of Verizon Media. It’s a mistake if they bite and then they realize, 'I bit something huge,' and they freak out and swim off. Experts said having sharks in the ocean maintains healthy populations of fish and an ocean that benefits humans as much as sea life. Additionally, three people in North Carolina were bitten by sharks in June. As a result, shark populations have declined. Just days before, Jordan Lindsey, 21, died after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling with her family in the Bahamas. They're not after people.". Shark attacks aren't on the rise. More people die each year while taking selfies than during shark attacks, experts said. "If there are more people in the water, there are more encounters," Mike Heithaus, a marine biologist at Florida International University, said. "They're hunters. Shark attacks are on the rise in the U.S.—but it’s not because sharks are getting fiercer. Those attacks may not be just a coincidence or bad luck: Shark attacks have been on the rise, with more attacks … This year, Discovery sought to find out if shark attacks are on the rise -- especially after Maine recorded its first fatal great white shark attack on July 27. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. According to a study by Progress in Oceanography, climate change is pushing sharks and other marine species northward. The increase in attacks—59 last year, up from 31 in 2011—is connected to climate change, experts say. The experts also said that the global average of shark attacks is trending downward. "The odds are crazy.". According to the Florida Program for Shark Research, seven people have died from shark attacks since 2005. "It's really quite straightforward," Naylor said. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. Additionally, experts said that the thing people should be more fearful of this summer is riptide currents, which can be lethal. Meanwhile, there’s also been a gradual increase in the number of sharks in the water. “To get them back to manageable levels is going to take decades for many of these species,” Burgess said. Why shark attacks are more common in the Atlantic than the Pacific. Despite a recent handful of shark attacks and sightings in the Atlantic Ocean, experts say 2019 is shaping up to be an average year in terms of encounters. "Animals bump into people by chance. Although incidents have been declining in recent years, news coverage remains high. An 8-year-old boy was bitten while swimming off Bald Head Island. Shark attacks have dominated Australian headlines during the past week, with two fatalities occurring just a few days apart in waters near Perth. Many locals blame the government’s ban on shark meat in the 1990s, or the creation of a … Later, sharks became targets in fisheries that expanded rapidly in the 1980s. “What you see is more of a human activity than a shark activity.”. Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, said the global average for the last decade was 85 unprovoked shark attacks per year, but said in 2018 attacks were down to a global average of 66 unprovoked attacks. Sharks were caught as bycatch starting in the 1960s, meaning they were incidentally caught during the commercial fishing of other fish. In June, Jonathan Hernandez, a professional boat captain and fisherman from Florida, was bitten by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas. By signing up you are agreeing to our. "They are big predators and we need to respect them, but in most areas of the world, shark populations are down.". "It reflects more of our day and age of information-sharing than actual numbers increasing," Medd said. Most shark attacks take place in Florida, California and Hawaii, where tourists often visit beaches. Bowling added that sharks in shallow water are typically after small, shiny fish — usually referred to as bait fish — and to leave the area if you notice those fish nearby. "It's scarier to see the fin than a rip current, but [a rip current] can cause much more damage," Medd said. The number of tourists in Florida, where the most shark attacks take place, has risen every year since 2009, to 106 million last year. "You're more likely to die taking a selfie than being bitten by a shark," said Tyler Bowling, manager of the Florida Program for Shark Research. Attacks on the rise? Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, How Climate Change Is Fueling a Rise in Shark Attacks. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. … With more on each side, the greater the chance of the two coming together and having an attack.”, oceanic whitetip sharks, Bahamas, May 2012, Norbert Wu—Getty Images/Minden Pictures RM, Olive Garden Reviewer Had Special Bond With Bourdain, The Overlooked Queer History of Medieval Christianity, Trump Gives First Appearance Since Hospitalization, You can unsubscribe at any time. Why man-eating shark attacks on humans are on the rise around the world – and it’s all our own fault.
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