The variety of shark attacks across the globe soared last 12 months, a brand new report shows.
Beachgoers and tourists were mauled 105 times in 2025, up from 88 the 12 months before, in accordance with the International Shark Attack File.
The info – from the Florida Museum of Natural History – reveals the hotspots where the apex predators are most certainly to strike, which incorporates some British holiday favourites like Fuerteventura.
The report warned that shark attacks shot up in Australia, where there have been also five fatal bites of their waters.
Overall, there the variety of deadly shark assaults greater than doubled from 4 in 2024 to nine in 2025.
Amongst them was a 55-year-old triathlete who was attacked by a white shark while open swimming in California, United States, in December.
That was the one fatality within the US despite the North American country being home to probably the most recorded shark bite cases, at 25.
Florida was home to probably the most attacks last 12 months, at 11, after a spate of maulings on the east coast in June.
One 9-year-old girl in Boca Grande, Florida, was snorkeling when she was bitten by a shark, severing her hand.
Australia saw an enormous jump in shark bites, from 13 to 25, and was home to nearly all of shark-related deaths.
A reason for it is because the country’s coasts are home to the so-called ‘big three’ species accountable for most serious bites: the white shark, tiger shark and bull shark.
One bull shark attacked a Swiss couple of their 20s in November while they were swimming and filming dolphins in Recent South Wales.
The person survived after being flown to an area hospital, but the lady died before paramedics could reach the scene.
Which activities are most related to shark bites?
- Swimming/wading – 46%
- Browsing/board sports – 32%
- Snorkeling/freediving – 15%
- Other – 6%
The brand new 12 months already witnessed a 12-year-old boy die after a shark mauled his legs in Sydney Harbour.
Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research on the Florida Museum of Natural History, said: ‘If these bites occurred anywhere aside from Australia, they might probably have resulted in much more fatalities.
‘Their beach safety is second to none. Inside minutes of a bite, they’ve got helicopters airborne able to respond.’
Provoked shark attacks – what are they?
The bulk – 65 – of last 12 months’s shark attacks were defined as ‘unprovoked’.
Many of the rest were provoked attacks, when the victim interacted with the shark, equivalent to attempting to touch or feed them.
One in all these involved a 40-year-old man snorkeling off the coast of Tel Aviv in April, carrying a GoPro to film the apex predators.
A dusky shark likely bit the snorkeller because it investigated the camera, which let blood into the water and triggered a ‘feeding frenzy’.
Despite the actual fact dusky sharks usually are not known to bite humans, 2025 also saw the primary confirmed fatality from the speices.
A free driver on the lookout for crayfish in South Africa died after being bitten in South Africa.
Where were there shark attacks in 2025?
- USA – 25 (one fatal)
- Australia – 21 (five fatal)
- Bahamas – 5
- Recent Zealand – 3
- Recent Caledonia – 1
- Canary Islands (Spain) – 1
- Vanuatu – 1 (fatal)
- Samoa – 1
- South Africa – 1 (fatal)
- Maldives – 1
- Puerto Rico (U.S.) – 1
- Canada – 1
- Marshall Islands – 1
- Mozambique – 1 (fatal)
- Jamaica – 1
British tourists are also among the many victims of the rise in shark maulings.
A British surfer was riding his hydrofoil surfboard off the coast of the Canary Island when a shark bit his leg.
With a deep wound in his thigh, the person managed to get back to shore and receive medical attention.
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File was established in 1958 and includes records dating back to the 1500s.
Despite the rise in cases last 12 months, the variety of unprovoked attacks were barely lower than the 10-year-average of 72.
The variety of fatalities – nine – was above the 10-year-average of six.
The report adds: ‘The full variety of unprovoked shark bites worldwide stays extremely low.’
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