Shark attack year?

According to the recently released annual Shark attack report by the University of Florida, Shark attacks are on the rise.

Last year (2011), there were a total seventy five attacks, out of which twelve proved fatal. While seventy five attacks is average (with seventy nine confirmed attacks in 2010), the level of fatality was double that of that in the previous year. In fact, last year Shark attack fatalities were the highest they’ve been in the last two decades.

There are been several theories as to why this is: varying from it being mere coincidence to Sharks simply becoming more aggressive. Some say global warming and overfishing are taking their toll on the animals on which Sharks prey, and they are therefore forced to come closer to areas of higher prey densities (and human densities) near the coasts. Another theory suggests that we are now traveling more than ever, and to more and more remote locations, which presents problems. An increase in fatalities could be because there just isn’t time to get to the hospital before bleeding to death.

The fact is that most shark attacks aren’t actually attempts to eat people but merely acts of curiousity (as sharks don’t have hands they shake with their teeth). Generally most sharks will let go of a swimmer when they realise they are not food.

While all this is true, there is one thing worth noting: statistically you’re more likely to be killed by almost anything (or anyone) else. In the UK alone last year, twenty six people were killed by lightning and one hundred and seventy died from work related injuries. In the USA, approximately fifteen thousand people were murdered, and an estimated three thousand a year perish from Hippopotamus related incidents. In contrast we kill an estimated one hundred million sharks a year. So before deciding to never go swimming in the ocean again, you might also want to reconsider going to work or traveling to the USA.