Great White Shark: Wikipedia.org

Anyone who’s done a bit of world travel can tell you, there’s a lot of stuff out there just waiting to attack you, eat you, or make you sick. Or at least it seems that way…

Just last week a surfer was attacked by a shark in Monterey Bay, California. However, California isn’t the only place you hear about shark attacks. Most travelers know to be aware of sharks from Brazil, to South Africa, down to Australia, and the South Pacific. But just how real is the shark attack threat?

Shark Attacks Worldwide:

I did a little research to find out just how common shark attacks really are around the world. I was surprised to find that the most shark attack incidents over the past 400+ years have not occurred in South Africa (212) or Australia (312), but rather in the United States (937). Even excluding Hawaii, the continental US still has 870 documented shark attacks, by far the world leader.

Map template: Wikipedia.org

Shark Attack Capital of the World:

So the United States has the most documented cases of shark attacks over the past 400+ years. But the US is a big country, so how are attacks spread out across the country? Surprisingly, most shark attacks have not occurred in Hawaii (107) or California (92). Rather the title of “Shark Attack Capital of the World” is held by Florida, by far the leader in shark attacks worldwide with 544 over the past 400+ years. Remarkably, however, only 13 of the 544 attacks reported in Florida have been fatal (just 2.4%).

Map template: 50States.com

Put in Perspective:

Now 937 shark attacks in the United States may sound like a lot, but if you remember that 937 is the total number of shark attack incidents recorded in the past 400 years, you’ll see that shark attacks are quite UNCOMMON. The following statistics should help highlight how uncommon shark attacks are:

• Number of fatal lightning strikes in the United States (1959-2006, only includes coastal states): 1,916
• Number of shark attacks in US waters (1959-2006): 852
• Number of fatal shark attacks in US waters (1959-2006): 23
• Number of fatal dog attacks in the United States (2001-2006): 144
• Number of fatal shark attacks in US waters (2001-2006): 11
• Number of “human bites human” related injuries in New York City (1984-1987): 6,339
• Number of “shark bite” related injuries in the entire United States (1984-1987): 45

Statistics taken from the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida

While shark attacks aren’t nearly as common as many of us may have been led to believe, it is still important to take caution as a traveler. Countries like South Africa and Australia have fewer shark attack incidents than the United States, but that can be largely attributed to the respect locals give to the sharks in their waters. As long as you follow the locals’ lead, the past 400 years shows us you should be fine. Take their advice, only swim where and when they swim, and you will find it is much more likely you will be bit by a fellow human being in New York City than by a shark in foreign waters!

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