Shark Attacks: What Are The Odds?

Florida may have the dubious distinction of leading the world in the number of shark attacks, but that doesn’t mean the odds of being bitten are higher in the Sunshine State than anywhere else.

“Shark attacks in general are really a nonentity when we think of causes of mortality involved with humans,” explained George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the University of Florida campus. “It’s a lot more dangerous driving to the beach.”

While Florida logs an estimated 20 “bites” a year and about one fatality every decade, Burgess explained that many of those bites are akin to dog bites in their severity.

The east coast, where Florida happens to experience the most shark attacks, is noted for having a lot of smaller shark species that share the water with swimmers, divers, surfers and others looking for outdoor fun. Blacktip and spinner sharks, for example, are commonly found in the “surf zone” and generally measure about 6 to 7 feet in length.

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“Unfortunately for the sharks and for us we go into that very same area for our recreational activities,” Burgess said. “In a highly aquatic recreation friendly area such as Florida, we get people and sharks together in that environment and we get those bites.”

Burgess explains that most Florida shark attacks are “hit-and-runs” in that the sharks just take a quick grab and move on for more tasty prey.

Even so, fatalities are not unheard of. After all, larger species, such as bull and tiger sharks call Florida home year-round and great whites are known to visit the area, as well. Many of the larger sharks are found in the Gulf of Mexico where attacks are also not unheard of.

Just last week, a 60-year-old man was the latest victim of a Gulf shark attack. The culprit in that case was likely a bull shark, Burgess pointed out.

The Odds of Beach Injuries

Using data from the year 2000, the Florida Museum of Natural History crunched numbers to show people their odds of suffering injuries while visiting Florida beaches. Those odds added up to:

• Drowning and other beach-related fatalities – 1 in 2 million
• Drowning fatalities – 1 in 3.5 million
• Shark attacks – 1 in 11.5 million
• Shark attack fatalities – 0 in 264.1 million

Those numbers are based on an estimated attendance of more than 264 million people to Florida beaches that year.

Staying Safe in the Water

The odds are against a Florida beachgoer becoming a victim of a shark attack, but that doesn’t mean commonsense shouldn’t be used in the water, Burgess said.

“The sharks are swimming in and amongst us all the time,” he said. “They’re doing their thing.”

To avoid attacks, Burgess recommends people always remember the fact that humans are not part of a shark’s ecosystem.

“We’re invading their world,” he said. “We’ve got to have some boundaries. (The ocean) is not a backyard or the YMCA pool.”

Overall shark attack fatalities are down worldwide. In Florida, Burgess credits proactive beach patrols that pull people out of the water when sharks are present and fast-working medical professionals for the reduction.

The proof, he said, is in the numbers.

In 2014, there were 72 reported shark attacks worldwide with 52 in the United States. Twenty-eight of those attacks were recorded in Florida. In the U.S., there were no reported fatalities. Of the other 20 attacks outside the United States, three deaths were reported.

This year has already kicked off with a number of reported attacks, including a Gulf of Mexico encounter between a great white and fishing boat. Whether Florida will lead the nation and the world in the number of attacks in 2015 remains to be seen, but Burgess said people need to remember “there has to be an understanding when you enter the sea, it’s a wilderness experience.”

To learn more about sharks in Florida, visit the museum online.

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