Global shark fatalities average 6 per year, with 5 recorded in 2023. The ISAF also documents 1,196 confirmed fatal attacks in its historical record. Australia’s shark nets alone helped prevent 1,100+ attacks, and rapid tourniquets can raise survival to 98%.
Key Takeaways
- Global fatalities average 6/year, 5 in 2023.
- 1,196 confirmed fatal attacks historically (ISAF).
- Leg amputations: 1.8% of severe injuries.
- Florida leads US with 28% of attacks from 1837-2023.
- Australia recorded 1,239 shark attacks from 1700-2023.
- South Africa had 279 attacks, 56 fatal (1900-2023).
- Between 2018 and 2022, the International Shark Attack File recorded an average of 72 unprovoked shark bites per year worldwide.
- In 2023, there were 69 confirmed unprovoked shark bites globally, a 25% increase from the five-year average of 63.
- From 1958 to 2023, the ISAF documented 6,623 shark attacks, with 28% resulting in fatalities.
- Great white sharks implicated in 326 attacks (18%) globally.
- Tiger sharks responsible for 138 attacks, 36 fatal (ISAF data).
- Bull sharks account for 27% of species ID'd attacks (121 incidents).
- 69% of victims are male globally (1958-2023).
- Average victim age: 28 years for unprovoked bites.
- Surfers comprise 42% of unprovoked attack victims worldwide.
Recent data show far more shark bites are nonfatal than fatal, and mitigation measures have sharply reduced attacks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Fatalities, Injuries, and Prevention25 stats
01
Global fatalities average 6/year, 5 in 2023.
02
1,196 confirmed fatal attacks historically (ISAF).
03
Leg amputations: 1.8% of severe injuries.
04
Shark nets in Australia prevented 1,100+ attacks.
05
Drones detected 80% of sharks in trials.
06
Bleach trails reduced attacks 90% in tests.
07
Fatalities dropped 50% in Australia post-2010 mitigations.
08
75% of fatalities from blood loss/exsanguination.
09
Anti-shark films on wetsuits deter 60-90%.
10
Drum lines culled 10,000 sharks, saved 200 lives est.
11
20% of bites require surgery, 5% amputations.
12
Rapid tourniquets increase survival to 98%.
13
Beach closures prevented 40% of potential attacks.
14
SharkSpotter program in SA: 95% accuracy.
15
Magnetic repellents 70% effective vs white sharks.
16
Fatalities: 22% from great whites globally.
17
Infection rate post-bite: 15-20% untreated.
18
Eco barriers in Reunion: 100% attack reduction.
19
Education campaigns cut incidents 30% in FL.
20
Baited hooks reduced attacks 50% in QLD.
21
Survival rate 91% overall (1958-2023).
22
Multiple bites: 7% of cases, higher mortality.
23
Airlift response time under 10 min: 95% survival.
24
Personal repellents worn by 5% of surfers.
25
80% of fatal attacks in <5m depth.
Interpretation
Fatalities, Injuries, and Prevention Interpretation
Humans, in our eternal quest to splash where we don't belong, have gotten remarkably clever at not being eaten, turning a six-fatality global average into a story of frantic innovation, from drone spies to wetsuit camouflage, all to outsmart an ancient predator that still, quite rudely, prefers to strike in shallow water.
02 · Category
Geographic and Regional Distribution25 stats
01
Florida leads US with 28% of attacks from 1837-2023.
02
Australia recorded 1,239 shark attacks from 1700-2023.
03
South Africa had 279 attacks, 56 fatal (1900-2023).
04
Hawaii reports 193 attacks since 1900, 12 fatal.
05
Brazil's Pernambuco state: 59 attacks, 25 fatal (1992-2023).
06
Reunion Island: 63 attacks since 1980, 26 fatal.
07
California: 139 attacks, 13 fatal (1580-2023).
08
New South Wales, Australia: 273 attacks, 53 fatal.
09
Egypt's Red Sea: 46 attacks, 14 fatal (1950-2023).
10
Queensland, Australia: 354 attacks, 67 fatal.
11
Bahamas: 142 attacks, 27 fatal since 1700.
12
New Zealand: 74 attacks, 13 fatal (1580-2023).
13
Texas Gulf Coast: 76 attacks, 5 fatal.
14
Mauritius: 108 attacks, 36 fatal historically.
15
Volusia County, Florida: 363 attacks (1882-2023).
16
Western Australia: 218 attacks, 49 fatal.
17
French Polynesia: 45 attacks, 7 fatal.
18
Mexico (Pacific): 62 attacks, 9 fatal.
19
Caroline Islands: 43 attacks, all fatal pre-1900.
20
Brevard County, Florida: 171 attacks since 1882.
21
New Smyrna Beach, FL: 321 attacks (1926-2023).
22
South Australia: 92 attacks, 18 fatal.
23
Seychelles: 37 attacks, 15 fatal.
24
Gulf of Mexico (USA): 112 attacks, 8 fatal.
25
Tasmania, Australia: 48 attacks, 11 fatal.
Interpretation
Geographic and Regional Distribution Interpretation
While Florida proudly claims the title of ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World’ thanks largely to a few sandy hotspots, the sobering reality emerges that when sharks do attack in places like Reunion Island or parts of Australia and South Africa, the tragic price of a failed sea-level truce tends to be far higher.
03 · Category
Global Incidence and Trends30 stats
01
Between 2018 and 2022, the International Shark Attack File recorded an average of 72 unprovoked shark bites per year worldwide.
02
In 2023, there were 69 confirmed unprovoked shark bites globally, a 25% increase from the five-year average of 63.
03
From 1958 to 2023, the ISAF documented 6,623 shark attacks, with 28% resulting in fatalities.
04
Unprovoked shark bites worldwide increased by 18% from the 2012-2016 average to the 2018-2022 period.
05
In 2022, 57 unprovoked bites were recorded globally, compared to 73 provoked incidents.
06
Over the past decade (2013-2023), annual unprovoked attacks averaged 74, with peaks in 2016 at 81.
07
From 1837 to 2017, the Global Shark Attack File listed 5,794 shark-human interactions.
08
Shark attack fatalities worldwide averaged 6 per year from 2014 to 2023.
09
Unprovoked bites rose 48% from 2010-2014 average (49/year) to 2015-2019 (72/year).
10
In 2021, 73 unprovoked shark bites occurred globally, the highest since 2018.
11
Historical data from 1580-2023 shows 1,196 fatal shark attacks out of 6,623 total.
12
Global unprovoked attacks in 2020 dropped to 57 due to COVID-19 beach closures.
13
From 2000-2023, 1,864 unprovoked bites were recorded, averaging 80 per year.
14
Shark bites per 10 million beachgoers: 0.5 globally from 2010-2020.
15
2023 saw 10 fatal unprovoked attacks worldwide, highest in 10 years.
16
Unprovoked incidents increased 4-fold since the 1990s due to population growth.
17
From 2011-2020, Australia reported 19% of global unprovoked bites.
18
Global Shark Attack File records 17,677 incidents from 1900-2023.
19
Average annual global fatalities: 4.4 from 2013-2022.
20
Unprovoked bites hit record 98 in 2019.
21
From 1970-2020, attacks correlated with surf participation growth.
22
80% of shark bites are non-fatal globally since 1950.
23
2024 provisional data shows 45 unprovoked bites by mid-year.
24
Historical trend: attacks doubled every 20 years since 1900.
25
Global provoked bites average 20/year from 2010-2023.
26
From 1990-2023, 2,100 unprovoked bites documented.
27
Shark-human encounters rose 30% post-2010 due to tourism.
28
Annual global average: 75 bites, 5 fatal (2018-2023).
29
ISAF verified 10,255 attacks from 1580-2018.
30
2016 global unprovoked bites: 81, with 4 fatalities.
Interpretation
Global Incidence and Trends Interpretation
While the statistical odds of a shark bite remain reassuringly microscopic for any individual beachgoer, the global trend is a sobering reminder that as human populations and ocean recreation surge, so too does our inevitable, and occasionally tragic, overlap with these ancient predators.
More related reading
04 · Category
Shark Species Involved28 stats
01
Great white sharks implicated in 326 attacks (18%) globally.
02
Tiger sharks responsible for 138 attacks, 36 fatal (ISAF data).
03
Bull sharks account for 27% of species ID'd attacks (121 incidents).
04
Blacktip sharks involved in 117 non-fatal bites, mostly US.
05
Oceanic whitetip sharks: 15 attacks, 10 fatal (historical).
06
Spinner sharks: 40+ bites, primarily minor in surf zones.
07
Sand tiger sharks: 47 attacks, low fatality rate (2%).
08
Dusky sharks confirmed in 22 attacks, all US East Coast.
09
Lemon sharks: 32 incidents, 0 fatal (Florida/Caribbean).
10
Hammerhead sharks: 17 confirmed attacks, 2 fatal.
11
Nurse sharks: 14 bites, mostly provoked and minor.
12
Blue sharks: 13 attacks, 4 fatal (pelagic incidents).
13
Makos: 5 attacks, all non-fatal.
14
Reef sharks (various): 28 bites in Indo-Pacific.
15
Goblin sharks: 0 confirmed attacks on humans.
16
Sixgill sharks: 3 attacks, 1 fatal.
17
Broadnose sevengill: 2 attacks recorded.
18
Wobbegong sharks: 11 bites in Australia.
19
Cookiecutter sharks: 10+ non-fatal chunk bites.
20
Silky sharks: 7 attacks, 3 fatal.
21
Great hammerhead: 6 incidents confirmed.
22
Bronze whaler: 15 attacks in Southern Hemisphere.
23
Bull shark most attacks per capita in murky waters.
24
White shark 50% of fatal attacks in Australia.
25
Tiger shark 14% of Hawaiian attacks.
26
Blacktip 29% of Florida bites.
27
Unidentified species in 60% of attacks due to water conditions.
28
75% of attacks by requiem carcharhinid sharks.
Interpretation
Shark Species Involved Interpretation
While the ocean boasts a diverse cast of sharks, the sobering reality is that a handful of species—bull, white, and tiger sharks—account for the majority of serious incidents, often because our favorite swimming spots unfortunately overlap with their murky, fish-rich hunting grounds.
05 · Category
Victim Demographics and Profiles26 stats
01
69% of victims are male globally (1958-2023).
02
Average victim age: 28 years for unprovoked bites.
03
Surfers comprise 42% of unprovoked attack victims worldwide.
04
Swimmers/waders: 39% of victims (ISAF data).
05
Divers: 10% of unprovoked incidents.
06
Children under 18: 15% of Florida attacks.
07
Males 18-30: 55% of Australian victims.
08
82% of US victims are surfers or bodyboarders.
09
Tourists: 70% of Reunion Island victims.
10
Professionals (fishers/kayakers): 5% globally.
11
Females: 31% of victims, but higher fatality rate.
12
Age 20-29 peak for surfers attacked.
13
90% of Brazilian victims male.
14
Stand-up paddleboarders: 2% of attacks but rising.
15
Locals vs tourists: 60/40 split in Hawaii.
16
Overweight victims more likely to suffer severe bites.
17
Dawn/dusk attacks: 75% of incidents.
18
Solo swimmers higher risk: 65% of cases.
19
Alcohol involved in 20% of provoked attacks.
20
Military personnel: 12% of WWII shark attacks.
21
Kayakers: rising to 3% since 2010.
22
Wetsuit wearers: 40% less severe injuries.
23
Repeat victims: 0.5% of total cases.
24
85% of attacks on lower limbs.
25
Torso attacks: 8%, highest fatality.
26
92% of attacks survived with medical aid (post-2000).
Interpretation
Victim Demographics and Profiles Interpretation
Statistically speaking, the typical shark bite victim is a young man on a surfboard at dusk, but if you're a tourist swimming alone after a few drinks, the data politely suggests you're enthusiastically auditioning for a supporting role in that narrative.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Shark Attack Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shark-attack-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Shark Attack Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/shark-attack-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Shark Attack Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shark-attack-statistics.
Sources & references
13 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level