‘Shark attack capital of the world’ is in the U.S.

The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF) — which touts itself as “the world’s only scientifically documented, comprehensive database of all known shark attacks” — has deemed Florida as the top international spot for shark attacks based on 2023 data.

The Sunshine State, according to the report, saw 44 percent of all recorded U.S attacks last year, with Volusia County seeing the most out of all (50 percent).

“Consistent with long-term trends, the United States recorded the most unprovoked shark bites in 2023, with 36 confirmed cases,” states the report. “This is slightly lower than the 41 incidents recorded in 2022. The 36 cases represent 52% of the worldwide total.”

This recent ISAF report is consistent with those previously published: The organization in February stated how shark attacks have been increasing worldwide, although the most ever seen took place in 2015 with 98 total.

“Ten of the past year’s unprovoked attacks were fatal, up from five the year before, with a disproportionate number occurring in Australia,” noted the site. “Although the country accounted for 22% of all attacks, it made up 40% of fatalities.

“There were also two confirmed deaths in the U.S., and one each in the Bahamas, Egypt, Mexico and New Caledonia. Other confirmed, not-fatal bites occurred in Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, New Zealand, Seychelles, Turks and Caicos, Ecuador (in The Galápagos Islands) and South Africa.”

Admitted director of the museum’s shark research program, Gavin Naylor: “This is within the range of the normal number of bites, though the fatalities are a bit unnerving this year.”