Are shark attacks in Florida occurring more frequently than usual?

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Shark attacks have been making waves across the country all summer long, especially in Florida. The state has already reported several bites this year, sparking the question: Are shark attacks occurring at a higher-than-normal rate?

There have been 10 reported bites in Florida so far this year, with three of them happening in the same area just days apart, but experts don’t expect to see many more.

According to NBC affiliate WTVJ , experts at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science don’t believe this year will have more bites than what the state has seen in the past.

The most recent attack was reported on Monday when 37-year-old Jose Angel Hernandez went spearfishing with a friend and his two children. After catching a fish, a bull shark bit him in the legs and torso.

He is still recovering as of Wednesday.

“You need to try to escape the shark, it’s the only option,” Angel Hernandez told WTVJ.

His attack comes following three separate incidents over the Fourth of July weekend at New Smyrna Beach, which is known as the “shark capital of the world.”

The Florida Panhandle also saw “highly unusual” shark attacks last month after a 45-year-old woman and two teenagers were injured in two attacks on the same day at beaches about four miles apart.

The woman, Elisabeth Foley, lost her left hand and suffered severe injuries to her midsection. The second victim, 15-year-old Lulu Gribbin lost her left hand and right leg following the attack, and her friend, McCray Faust suffered minor injuries to her foot.

“For two of these incidents to happen on the same day is highly unusual,” Walton County officials said . Authorities also noted that shark attacks are rare, with that area only having attacks in 2005 and 2021.

So what is the reason behind the apparent “uptick”?

“Inevitably when people are recreating in the water and sharks are living in feeding in the water, sometimes there are these interactions, and the interactions are seemingly more frequent, and that really is exactly what’s happening. We are seeing some species of sharks on the increase, absolutely,” executive director of Ocean First Institute, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, told WTVJ.

However, the rise in shark species might not be the cause for the increase in bites. Instead, experts believe more people are just reporting the incidents.

“I don’t think we are off the mark, I think we are just seeing a lot more attention on this and a lot more eyes out there sharing this information,” Kobza said.

On average, there are 100 shark attacks globally a year. In 2023, Florida recorded 16 attacks, according to WTVJ. With 10 attacks already being reported this year, experts believe the Sunshine State is right on pace.

“These instances are still extremely rare. Estimates range from one in 11.5 million to one in 200 million,” John Hlavin, a fourth-year PhD student at the Rosenstiel School, said.

Experts also stated that sharks are not responsible for Florida’s most common bite as most of the attacks in the state are unprovoked.

“The majority of our bites come from smaller blacktip sharks. That’s why Florida, we have the most shark bites in the U.S., but our injuries tend to be less severe,” Yannis Papastamatiou, a professor at Florida International University, told WTVJ.

Despite attacks spiking in the summer months, experts expressed that there’s no evidence to suggest it’s due to one specific factor.

“The evidence so far states what we’re actually seeing is more northward shifts as species are able to tolerate historically, temperate colder and temperate waters, so that actually might mean less sharks in our area,” Hlavin said.

Experts shared five golden rules with WTVJ to follow to try and avoid shark attacks:

• Always swim in a group
• Avoid wearing jewelry in the water
• Avoid splashing that could mimic fish on the water
• Swim during the day and avoid swimming at dawn or dusk
• Avoid swimming where signs of fish are. Look for birds in the sky or bait fish below. If you see either of these things, it’s best to get out of the water.

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