Sharks Sightings Surge, but Attacks Plunge in the U.S.

17/12/2025 3 min
Sharks Sightings Surge, but Attacks Plunge in the U.S.

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Episode Synopsis

In 2025, the United States has seen only three unprovoked shark attacks so far, a sharp drop from last year, according to the International Shark Attack File and reports from AOL. The first happened in Florida, non-fatal and unprovoked, while the second was a provoked incident off Oahu in Hawaii, where a swimmer suffered arm lacerations from a Galapagos shark, as detailed by the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The most recent struck off Long Island at Jones Beach State Park, where a 20-year-old woman wading in waist-deep water around 4 p.m. got minor leg injuries from what experts from the Department of Environmental Conservation identified as likely a juvenile sand tiger shark. Just days ago, on December 12, a surfer paddling 300 yards off North Salmon Creek in Sonoma County, California, was bitten on the hand by an unidentified shark, probably a white shark given the area's winter activity near Tomales Point and the Farallon Islands, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office reported to the Los Angeles Times. The man walked ashore on his own, treated his non-life-threatening wound, and drove to a hospital, with his board showing clear tooth punctures.Worldwide, Australia leads with nine attacks, three fatal, including surfer Lance Appleby pulled under near Streaky Bay in January and teen Charlize Zmuda killed at Woorim Beach in February, per AZ Animals summaries. A rare fatal attack hit Israel in April off Hadera, the first in the nation's history, captured on video. In the Caribbean, two Americans were bitten near Bimini Bay in the Bahamas on February 7, and a Canadian tourist injured by a six-foot shark at Providenciales in Turks and Caicos that same day. Other fatalities include a spearfisher in New Caledonia and a fisherman in Mexico.Shark sightings are ramping up in the US, with OCEARCH tracking great whites like the 14-foot Contender and 11-foot Dold off Florida in March, a 1,400-pound giant pinging near Amelia Island on December 10, and 1,009-pound Ernst off Naples and Marco Island. Great whites also appeared near Huntington Beach and Pismo Beach in California, and Montauk in New York. Marine biologists note sharks follow baitfish closer to shore due to warming waters and ocean patterns, not aggression toward humans, as sharks often mistake us for prey in exploratory bites.Beaches are responding with warnings and tech. California officials urge awareness of rare but real risks, with Sonoma posting alerts. Florida and Hawaii issue swim advisories after sightings. Australia invests heavily, like Queensland's 88 million dollar Shark Management Plan for 2025 to 2029, emphasizing daily-checked non-lethal drones, SMART drumlines for tagging and release, and education over nets that catch bycatch without proven bite reduction, according to Australian Geographic. Western Australia rebates personal repellents cutting risk by up to 60 percent and promotes bite-resistant wetsuits. No clear surge in aggressive shark behavior emerges, just more reports from better tracking and beach crowds.Thank you for tuning in, and please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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