After three years of decline, researchers with the International Shark Attack file reported that 2021 saw a 40% increase in shark bites worldwide.
What You Need To Know
- Officials say worldwide shark bites jumped from 52 in 2020 to 73 in 2021
- Of those, 16 were reported in Volusia County
- One expert says the jump is an anomaly caused by people flocking to the beach after being locked down by the COVID-19 pandemic
They shared that in 2021, 73 unprovoked shark bites were recorded, up from 52 in 2020.
The most bites happened in Volusia County, where 16 were reported in 2021. Of those, 11 happened in New Smyrna Beach, according to Volusia County Beach Safety.
Researchers believe this in likely an anomaly that can be chalked up to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The most obvious answer is there has just been more people in the water so more opportunity now for sharks and folks to overlap, because lots of people I am talking to, Beach Safety and otherwise, are saying they saw crowds last year larger than they have ever seen before," said Tyler Bowling, program manager for the International Shark Attack File. "I think everyone was just desperate to get outside after the lockdowns of 2020.”
Bowling said New Smyrna is a hot spot for bites thanks to black tip sharks that use the shallows as their hunting grounds.