Researchers at a university in the United States say far fewer shark bites were reported worldwide last year.
According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, 66 bites were documented in 2018, compared with 88 the previous year.
Florida shark bite numbers fell by nearly half, with 16 compared to 31 in 2017. @gavinnaylor: “Blacktips used to amass in huge numbers along the coast of #Florida, & there have been far fewer of them, particularly in the last two or three years.” Illustration: Lindsay Gutteridge pic.twitter.com/TMlYWXQG2b
— Florida Museum (@FloridaMuseum) January 28, 2019
The figure is 26% lower than the five-year average of 84 bites annually. Thirty-two bites happened in US waters.
Four of last year’s bites were fatal, roughly keeping with the average of six deaths worldwide each year.
Mr Naylor said beach-goers need to learn about shark behaviour in areas such as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where great white sharks have followed a rebounding seal population.
