ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Any time you wade into Florida’s beautiful coastal waters, you’re walking into the realm of one of the world’s top predators.
But, sharks are not hunting for humans.
The two species do, however, sometimes come in contact, and the painful results can range from dangerous to deadly.
According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, Florida led the world in 2019 with the most unprovoked bites.
Twenty-one people along the state's tourist-packed beaches found themselves on the wrong side of some really sharp teeth. That number is up from 16 the year before.
UF says Florida accounted for 33 percent of all reported shark bites around the globe.
Here’s how the incidents broke down by county:
- Volusia – 9
- Duval – 5
- Brevard – 2
- Broward – 1
- Martin – 1
- Nassau – 1
- Palm Beach – 1
- St. Johns – 1
While Florida experienced an uptick in shark bites, the rest of the world witnessed a significant decline. According to the International Shark Attack File, there were 64 confirmed attacks – down from an annual average of 82.
Five of those attacks were deadly.
UF says most bites – 53 percent – involve surfers because they tend to attract sharks unintentionally by splashing and paddling. Swimmers account for 25 percent of shark bites.
But the University of Florida’s report makes it clear the risk of being attacked by a shark remains “extremely low” considering the number of people who venture into the predators’ habitat every day.
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