US becomes country with most shark attacks in 2023

The United States became the country that experienced the most shark attacks in 2023 owning 36 out of 52 global assaults of this sort, as per new research by scientists.

Researchers at the University of Florida discovered that the number of deaths at the hands of apex predators had doubled to 10, up five from the previous year.

The study found that the bulk of swimmer deaths in 2023 were caused by great whites, tigers, and bull sharks; however, the increased death toll can be attributed to an increase in annual ocean population and a greater emphasis on reporting bites and fatalities.

A shark will attack a human without any kind of provocation, such as when the victim inadvertently approaches the shark or swims or surfs in an area where the shark is feeding on fish.

A report from the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File (ISAF) states that about 16 people suffered shark bites in Florida and that two people died in California and Hawaii, according to Daily Mail.

Together with five more, there were five confirmed deaths, as well as further attacks in Brazil, the Bahamas, Egypt, Mexico, and New Caledonia.

"This is within the range of the normal number of bites, though the fatalities are a bit unnerving this year," said Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's shark research program.

The three shark species — great whites, tigers, and bulls — are recognised as vicious marine predators, but the researchers claimed that the reason their bites are lethal is due to their size.

Usually, after mistaking a human for its meal, a shark will swim away, but because they are bigger than other sharks, a single bite might be lethal.

Although there was an increase in fatalities in 2023, marine researchers stated that population density — the probability of a shark attack increasing as more people enter the water — is more likely to be the cause of the spike in shark attacks.