Shark Attacks Increase Dramatically in 2025, Florida Maintains Global Bite Leadership
A comprehensive report released on Wednesday has documented a sharp rise in unprovoked shark attacks worldwide during 2025, with 65 incidents recorded, up from 47 in the previous year. The study, compiled by the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida, also confirmed 12 human fatalities, nearly double the seven deaths reported in 2024. This surge highlights growing concerns about shark interactions in coastal regions, particularly in areas like Australia where great white shark populations are increasing at popular surfing beaches.
Global and Regional Patterns in Shark Bite Incidents
Gavin Naylor, program director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, emphasized that shark bites result from a combination of biological factors, climatic conditions, and human activity in the water. While year-to-year figures can fluctuate dramatically, long-term averages show relative stability. The 10, 20, and 30-year averages for unprovoked bites differ by only four incidents, and the average number of fatalities has remained unchanged at six annually. However, regional variations are significant, with Australia experiencing a notable spike in both attacks and deaths.
In 2025, Australia recorded 21 unprovoked shark bites, a substantial increase from nine the previous year, and five fatalities. Naylor praised Australia's beach safety protocols, noting that rapid response systems, including helicopter deployments, likely prevented even more deaths. One tragic incident involved a woman in her 20s killed and a man seriously injured by a bull shark while swimming at Crowdy Bay, New South Wales, in November.
United States Leads in Total Attacks, Florida's Volusia County Tops List
The United States remained the global leader in unprovoked shark attacks with 25 bites in 2025, though this marked a slight decrease from 28 in 2024. Fatalities in the U.S. held steady at one, with the death of triathlete Erica Fox in California. Florida continued to dominate domestically, reporting 11 unprovoked attacks, more than double any other state. Volusia County on Florida's Atlantic coast, long recognized as the world's most prolific site for shark bites, accounted for six of these incidents, though numbers there and statewide were down slightly from previous years.
Other U.S. states with recorded bites included California and Hawaii with four each, South Carolina with two, and New York, North Carolina, and Texas with one each. The report also noted several firsts, such as a fatal dusky shark attack in South Africa—the first recorded for that species—and Canada's first unprovoked shark attack since 2021, where a man escaped injury after a great white shark bit his paddleboard.
Shark Species and Statistical Context of Attacks
The "big three" shark species—great white, tiger, and bull sharks—were responsible for most serious bites due to their serrated teeth, powerful jaws, and large size. Despite the increase in attacks, the report underscores that global shark populations remain far below historical levels, largely due to overfishing. Statistically, the risk of a shark bite remains extremely low. For perspective, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports over 4,000 drowning deaths annually in the U.S. alone, while lightning strikes globally cause an estimated 24,000 fatalities each year, with about ten times as many injuries.
This data provides crucial insights for marine safety and conservation efforts, emphasizing the need for balanced awareness of both shark threats and broader environmental risks.
