"Somewhat worrying"

Researchers counted more shark attacks than in the previous year

Sharks off Fiji(Bild: AFP)

The number of unprovoked shark attacks increased in the previous year compared to 2022, but is still within the average of the past ten years. In 2023, 69 incidents were recorded, compared to 57 in the previous year.

The 2023 figure is within normal bite numbers, although the deaths are "somewhat concerning", said Gavin Naylor, director of the shark research program at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Ten of the unprovoked attacks last year ended fatally. The year before there were five. Nevertheless, the probability of being bitten by a shark remains extremely low.

Sharks off Fiji(Bild: AFP)

More people in shark habitats
Increasing human activity in the natural habitats of sharks is leading to an increase in encounters with the animals. Over the past decades, the number of recorded attacks has risen sharply.

However, it has fluctuated greatly over the past ten years: in 2016, there were a particularly high number of 98, while in the pandemic years of 2020 and 2022 there were only 57 each - the lowest number in the period.

What "unprovoked attack" means

The Florida Shark Research Program's annual report focuses primarily on unprovoked shark bites. This refers to any case in which a shark attacks in its natural habitat without any provocation from humans and has not been lured by bait, for example. An attack is also considered "provoked" if a diver attempts to touch the shark.

Great white sharks were the most deadly attackers
The majority of attacks last year occurred in the United States (52 percent) and Australia (22 percent). Surfers were bitten in 42 percent of cases worldwide (see also video above). Most shark deaths in 2023 were due to great white shark bites.

Sharks off the northern coast of Israel(Bild: AFP)

Surfers are perceived like seals
"If a great white shark is after a seal and the seal knows it, the great white shark doesn't stand a chance," said Naylor. "Seals are very agile, so the only ones that get caught are the ones frolicking on the surface. And that's exactly what a surfer looks like."

Simple precautions
Simple precautions can minimize the already low probability of being bitten by a shark. People should stay close to the shore, avoid swimming at dawn or dusk and avoid splashing around too much.

Number of shark deaths on the rise
The number of sharks killed worldwide rose by around five percent (80 million) between 2012 and 2019, despite numerous new conservation regulations coming into force during this period. More than 30 percent of the sharks killed are endangered species.

Shark genetic material changes only slowly
Sharks are the evolutionary hitchhikers in the animal kingdom. Their genetic material changes very slowly. In contrast to other vertebrates, the rate of change in epaulette sharks, for example, is only around one twentieth of the rate in humans.