ORLANDO, Fla. — Unprovoked shark attacks were down worldwide in 2018, according to researchers at the University of Florida.
- 66 unprovoked shark attacks in 2018
- In an unprovoked attack, humans do not initiate interaction with a shark
- Unprovoked shark attacks down across the board
But the United States, and Florida specifically, still led the world in shark bites.
The International Shark Attack File's annual summary says there were 66 confirmed, unprovoked cases of shark bites and attacks in 2018. That's lower than the five-year average of 84 incidents a year.
Of those cases, 32 were in the United States, more than any other country. Half of those incidents, 16, were in Florida. This is still lower than the annual average of 30 incidents in Florida in the past. The top Florida county for shark incidents continues to be Volusia County.
ISAF says there were five fatal attacks this year, with four of them unprovoked. Only one was in the United States, and it was in Massachusetts. It was the first fatal attack in the U.S. since 2015.
Surfing and other board activities were most often associated with shark bites, with 53 percent of the cases. People swimming and wading accounted for 30 percent of the incidents.
ISAF experts say they expect annual fluctuations in shark-human interactions each year. Advances in beach safety and public awareness have also contributed to declining numbers in shark incidents.
But the ISAF also points out shark populations are declining around the world, and that conserving sharks and their habitats continues to be a pressing need.