By 2021, 73 people worldwide were bitten by sharks without provoking it.

And with that, the number of unprovoked shark bites is rising again after three years in a row. This is evident from figures collected by American researchers. In addition to the 73 unprovoked bites from humans, 39 provoked shark bites were also recorded in 2021. In addition, the museum also reports 4 attacks on boats and one situation in which a shark bit an already dead human. And then there are 14 unconfirmed and a handful of questionable reports of shark attacks, bringing the number of alleged shark attacks to 137 in 2021. Eleven people could not recount that attack.

Provoked or not?
The Florida Museum of Natural History maintains an International Shark Attack File. In particular, a distinction is made between provoked and unprovoked attacks. A provoked attack occurs when a human chooses to interact with a shark. Examples of a provoked attack are sharks that bite after people try to touch them or offer them food. The unprovoked attacks always occur when humans are in the shark’s natural habitat, and do not provoke the animal in any way prior to the attack. Although the Florida researchers study all shark attacks and include them in the annual figures, extra attention is always paid to the latter category, the unprovoked attacks. These attacks provide more insight into the sharks’ natural behavior and can also help to develop measures or interventions aimed at reducing the chance of shark attacks.

surfers

Most unprovoked shark attacks occurred in the US (47, of which 1 was fatal), Australia (12, of which 3 was fatal), and Brazil (3, of which 1 was fatal). A total of 11 shark attacks worldwide were fatal, nine of which were unprovoked. Roughly speaking, most unprovoked fatal shark attacks are attributable to the great white shark.

Chance

An average of five unprovoked fatal shark attacks have been recorded in the past five years. And with that, the number of unprovoked fatal attacks is significantly higher this year. The total number of unprovoked shark attacks is also on the rise for the first time in three years. It’s probably just a coincidence, the researchers say; there is no reason to believe that a new trend has started in 2021. This is further supported by the fact that the number of unprovoked shark attacks in 2021 corresponds to the average number of unprovoked shark attacks in the past five years.

fluctuation

It is not unusual for the number of shark attacks to fluctuate from year to year; it’s because the number of shark-human encounters is dictated by oceanographic, socio-economic, and meteorological conditions, which can vary considerably from year to year. A good example of this is the pandemic, which seems to have had a huge impact on the figures for 2020 (see box).

Big difference with 2020
While 73 unprovoked shark attacks were recorded in 2021, only 52 unprovoked shark attacks could be confirmed in 2020. The researchers attribute the big difference to the pandemic and in particular the resulting lockdowns that ensure that people stay at home, instead of going to the sea and beach.

While the number of shark attacks can vary from year to year, there is one clear long-term trend: the number of people killed by sharks is gradually decreasing. According to researchers, it can be traced back to the fact that more and more beaches bordering shark habitat are taking measures to reduce the chance of a fatal shark attack. In addition, the decrease in the number of sharks in coastal waters also plays a role.

All in all, the chance that humans will be killed by a shark remains very small, the researchers emphasize. Namely about 1 in 3.7 million. The number of unprovoked shark attacks is also quite low, especially in view of the enormous number of people who move into shark-populated seas every year. The researchers do have a few tips for those who want to further reduce the chance of a (fatal) collision with a shark. For example, people who go swimming or surfing in shark-inhabited waters are not advised to splash in open water (sharks can mistake you for a struggling fish). It is also not recommended to wear jewelry (which can look a bit like glittering fish scales in the sun). It is also good to stay close to the coast and not to swim at dusk or near a school of fish.