In 2025, the peril posed by shark attacks escalated significantly, with a staggering 125% increase in fatalities across the globe, as revealed by a recent study.
The annual International Shark Attack report from the Florida Museum of Natural History recorded 65 unprovoked shark bites, resulting in nine fatalities. This marks a notable rise compared to the previous year, which saw only four deadly encounters worldwide.
The United States topped the list for unprovoked shark attacks, reporting 25 incidents. Among these, one was fatal: Erica Fox tragically lost her life on December 21 in California, when she was dragged under at Lovers Point in Santa Cruz County, according to ABC.
Within the US, Florida emerged as the hotspot with 11 unprovoked shark bites, representing 17% of such incidents globally.
Notably, New Smyrna Beach in Palm Beach County saw a cluster of these incidents, reaffirming its reputation as the “Shark Bite Capital of the World.”
Several of those bites happened at New Smyrna Beach in Palm Beach County — dubbed the “Shark Bite Capital of the World.”
Surfer Matt Bender nearly had his arm chomped off by an unidentified species of shark on July 7, while riding waves at the infamous line of shore. Bender survived the attack.
Australia saw the second most unprovoked bites and registered the world’s worst five fatalities from the encounters, including three who were killed while surfing.
That includes 57-year-old surfer Mercury Psillakis who was bitten and killed by a large shark off the coast of Sydney on Jan. 25, 2025.
New Yorkers had one unprovoked shark bite and a few close calls, according to reports.
A 20-year-old swimmer at Long Beach Island was bitten by what was likely a juvenile sand tiger shark at Jones Beach State Park on June 27, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.
She suffered minor, non-life-threatening lacerations to her lower leg.
