Florida had the most unprovoked shark attacks on Earth last year, according to new data.
Of its 16 unprovoked bites, none were fatal, according to data from the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File shared by the Florida Museum of Natural History.
However, two that were likely from bull sharks required medical treatment resulting in amputations.
A woman snorkeling in the Dry Tortugas early in the year was bitten by a lemon shark marking only the 11th known unprovoked attack from this species.
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A lemon shark swims towards a group of divers during a shark dive off of Jupiter, Florida on February 11, 2022. ((Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images))
The U.S. only had a single unprovoked fatality, which occurred late in the year off the shores of Keawakapu Beach in Maui, Hawaii.
Overall, the number of unprovoked shark attacks decreased last year, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents in the last 10 years.
The ISAF said there were a total of 57 unprovoked bites in 2022, most of which occurred in the U.S. and Australia.
Beachgoers enjoy the sunset. One walks his dog, another holds a net, one jogs. Keawakapu Beach, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, USA. Taken May 14, 2014. (Joseph DeSantis / Contributor via Getty Images)
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Five attacks were fatal, down from nine and 10 deaths in 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Since 2013 – with the exception of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic – there has been an average of 74 unprovoked bites per year.
Jupiter, Florida – May 05, 2022: A bull shark gets up close to inspect divers during an eco tourism shark dive off of Jupiter, Florida on May 5, 2022. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The report said the overall reduction in bites may reflect the documented global decline of shark populations.
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“Generally speaking, the number of sharks in the world’s oceans has decreased, which may have contributed to recent lulls” Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Florida Program for Shark Research, said in a statement. “It’s likely that fatalities are down because some areas have recently implemented rigorous beach safety protocols, especially in Australia.”
