SHARK ATTACKS – BAHAMAS AND BEYOND

UPDATED STATS 2021

Charts at the foot of the page – new WP format prevents insertion

 

DATABASE UPDATE 2020 (for 2019 INCIDENTS)

PRIMARY RESOURCE

INTERNATIONAL SHARK ATTACK FILE

This resource is the portal to a mass of current and historical data, presented with authority and clarity. It provides undoubtedly the most comprehensive and accessible shark data of all.

Last year I included screen-shots from this site. At the moment I am confining the information to providing the most useful links.

SITE LINK

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/

BAHAMAS-SPECIFIC

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/maps/na/bahamas-antilles/

“The 2019 worldwide total of 64 confirmed unprovoked cases were lower than the most recent five-year (2014-2018) average of 82 incidents annually. There were five fatal attacks this year, two of which were confirmed to be unprovoked. This number is in line with the annual global average of four fatalities per year”

MENUS include Maps & Data Contributing Factors Shark Attack Trends What are the Odds? Reducing Your Risk

ALSO WORTH A VISIT (but less up-to-date

“Humans are not on the menu of sharks. Sharks bite humans out of curiosity or to defend themselves”

The SRI produces a  downloadable Global Shark Attack File that provides:

• A downloadable incident log by country
• A downloadable incident log chronologically
• A world map of encounters categorized by provoked vs. unprovoked, incidents involving boats, air & sea disasters and questionable incidents
• To read any basic case report, open the Chronological file, click on the case number (column A) and the report will open as a pdf file

SHARK SPECIES (CONCISE OVERVIEW FOR EACH SHARK)

http://www.sharkattackfile.net/species.htm

BAHAMAS-SPECIFIC STATS

http://www.sharkattackdata.com/gsaf/place/bahamas

ABACO-SPECIFIC STATS

http://www.sharkattackdata.com/gsaf/place/bahamas/abaco_islands

 

UPDATED FOR 2019 – ATTACK STATS NOW COME IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT

INTERNATIONAL SHARK ATTACK FILE 2018
Florida Museum

The International Shark Attack File investigated 130 incidents of alleged shark-human interaction occurring worldwide in 2018. Sixty-six cases represent confirmed unprovoked shark attacks on humans. Thirty-four of the remaining cases were confirmed as provoked attacks on humans.

“Unprovoked attacks” are defined as incidents where an attack on a live human occurs in the shark’s natural habitat with no human provocation of the shark.

“Provoked attacks” occur when a human initiates interaction with a shark in some way. These include instances when divers are bitten after harassing or trying to touch sharks, attacks on spear-fishers, attacks on people attempting to feed sharks, bites occurring while unhooking or removing a shark from a fishing net, etc.

Unprovoked Attacks 66
Provoked Attacks 34
Boat Attacks 9
Scavenge 4
Habituation 1
Public Aquaria 1
Doubtful 10
Not Confirmed 5
Total Cases 130

The worldwide total of unprovoked shark attacks was significantly lower than average. The 2018 worldwide total confirmed was lower than the most recent five-year (2013-2017) average incidents annually. There were five fatal attacks this year, four of which were confirmed to be unprovoked. These numbers are in line with the annual global average of six fatalities per year. A single non-fatal incident occurred in the Bahama Islands.

Of the remaining 30 cases, nine involved bites to motorized or non-motorized marine vessels (“boat attacks”), four involved shark-inflicted post-mortem bites (“scavenge”), five were cases in which the shark-human interaction could not be confirmed based on the available data, one case in which the attack involved an animal that may have been habituated to the presence of humans in the area, and one case involved a diver in a public aquarium. Ten cases were regarded as “doubtful” in which the incidents did not involve a shark, including one case attributed to an eel and one case attributed to a barracuda.

Victim Activity at Time of Attack
Surfing/board sports 53%
Swimming/wading 30%
Snorkeling/free-diving 6%
Body surfing/horseplay 3%
Scuba 5%
Other Shallow water activities 3%

The worldwide total number of unprovoked shark attacks is remarkably low given the number of people participating in aquatic recreation each year. For decades, worldwide fatality rates have continued to decline reflecting advances in beach safety, medical treatment and public awareness. This underscores the importance of global efforts to improve ocean rescue, medical care and shark education.

The somber truth is that most of the world’s shark populations are in decline, or exist at greatly reduced levels, as a consequence of overfishing and habitat loss. On average, there are only six fatalities attributable to unprovoked attacks by sharks worldwide, each year. By contrast, fisheries kill about 100 million sharks and rays annually. There is a pressing need to conserve these animals and their associated habitats to ensure their sustainability in the long term.

CREDITS: Florida Program for Shark Research, Florida Museum of Natural History – University of Florida; Tyler Bowling . – Program Manager, International Shark Attack File; Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba for the great photos

2019: I’M SHIFTING SHARK ATTACK STUFF TO THIS NEW PAGE

ROLLING HARBOUR  “WHERE IT’S SAFE TO DIP YOUR TOES IN THE WATER…”

Shark attack data for Abaco Islands, Bahamas

FIND A SEARCHABLE DATABASE  WITH DETAILS OF ALL RECORDED ATTACKS HERE

ATTACK MAP FOR 2017

LATEST STATS TO END 2016

======================

‘INTERNATIONAL SHARK ATTACK FILE’

World Locations with the Highest Shark Attack Activity

Revised and updated January 2015 (old system)

1749-2013 MAP OF THE BAHAMAS AND THE ANTILLES

CONFIRMED UNPROVOKED SHARK ATTACKS

I have updated the map and stats up to 2014. Abaco score: unchanged thankfully. I realise that ‘unprovoked’ is a grey area… Does it include spearfishing-related incidents (dying fish – ‘distressed’ movements – blood); or shark attraction to shiny things (‘Rolex flashing’); or the controversial and increasing incidence of ‘chumming’ which anyone – oh, apparently not – might think would encourage sharks to associate yummy food with humans..?

On the topic of shark-feeding, check out the discussion on Abaco Forum HERE

Any views on chumming? By all means use the COMMENT link, in tiny writing (hey! designer!) at the end of the page.

STOP PRESS JANUARY 2015 

The stats shown below for Bahamas, and Abaco in particular, have suddenly changed, because a woman at Tahiti Beach, Elbow Cay, has had the misfortune to be attacked by a shark – presumed to be a tiger shark. She has been flown to Fort Lauderdale Fl. where she is undergoing operations and recovering in Hospital. The early report is here http://m.local10.com/news/tourist-bitten-by-shark-in-bahamas-flown-to-fort-lauderdale/30558404 There is a suggestion that shark feeding has been occurring close to the recreational area, which may be an explanation for the attack… That’s a controversial area that I suspect is becoming more of an issue.

UPDATE JAN 9 An upbeat news report of the unfortunate woman’s recovery on Florida’s excellent LOCAL10 NEWS

UPDATE JAN 14 A report from the hospital with video of the woman recounting her ordeal at WFAA

UPDATE JAN 20 A further progress report post-surgery can be found at CARIBBEAN360

1749-2013 Map of the Bahamas’ and the Antilles’ Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks (N=70)

1749-2013 Map of the Bahamas’ and the Antilles’ Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks (N=70)
	Territory	Total Attacks	Fatal Attacks	Last Fatality		Territory	Total Attacks	Fatal Attacks	Last Fatality
	Abaco Is.	6	0			Cuba	11	7	1931
	Grand Bahama Is.	5	0			Puerto Rico	10	2	1924
	Andros	3	0			Virgin Is.	4	2	1972
	Bimini	3	0			Haiti	4	1	1921
	Exuma	2	0			Jamaica	3	2	2013
	New Providence	2	0			Dominican Republic	2	2	1963
	Cay Sal Bank	1	0			Cayman Is.	2	0
	San Salvador	1	0			Netherland Antilles	2	0
						Turks and Caicos	2	0
	Rum Cay Island	1	0			Antigua	1	0
	Unspecified	1	0			Martinique	1	0
						St. Martin	1	0
	BAHAMAS	26	0			ANTILLES	44	16	2013

5 and above

3 – 4

1 – 2

0

Last updated: February 20, 2014

 © International Shark Attack File
Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida

A great deal of useful information can be found at the ICHTHYOLOGY shark section (FMNH), covering such aspects as habitat, behaviour, sensible precautions… and how to deal with an apparently threatening situation without making it worse.

SHARK ATTACK DATA: ABACO

“Timeline Of Unprovoked Incidents Since 1900”

A somewhat diffferent – and more specific – picture emerges from the Abaco webpage of S.A.D., where both stats and details of each incident are given. It makes for interesting reading, suggesting one historic fatality and one ‘provoked’ attack. You will also see how often spear-fishing and associated activity is involved. To go straight to all this info, CLICK HERE 

http://www.sharkattackdata.com/place/bahamas

STATS 2021