U.S. Perspective
George H. Burgess and Alexia Morgan
International
Shark Attack File
Florida Program
for Shark
Research
Worldwide Shark Attacks 1580-2004
N = 1969
United States Shark Attacks 1670-2004
N = 861
Number of Attacks
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1960
1962
World
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
USA
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
Year
N=1405
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
World and USA Shark Attacks 1960-2004
2002
2004
Florida Annual Tourists vs Shark Attacks 1990 - 2001
Number of Attacks Number of Deaths
Tourists per year Florida Residents & Visitors
40 80000000
35 70000000
30 60000000
Shark Attacks
People
25 50000000
20 40000000
15 30000000
10 20000000
5 10000000
0 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Year
© Howard Cohen
USA Beach Attendance, Surf Rescues, and
Shark Attacks 1994-2000
Attendance Shark Attacks Rescues
120 60
Beach Attendence (Millions)
100 50
Rescues (x 1000)
Shark Attacks
80 40
60 30
40 20
20 10
0 0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Florida Beach Attendance, Surf Rescues, and
Shark Attacks 1994-2000
Attendance Rescues Shark Attacks
Beach Attendance (Millions)
14 40
8
20
6
4
10
2
0 0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year
Florida Shark Attacks 1882-2004
n = 500
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1960
1962
1964
1966
Volusia County
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
All Other Counties
Year
1984
1986
1988
1960-2004 N =472
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
Florida and Volusia County Attacks
2000
2002
2004
Number of Attacks
0
5
10
15
20
25
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
Year
1984
1986
1988
1960-2004 N=304
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Florida Attacks Excluding Volusia County
2004
Florida Shark Attacks by Month
(1911-2004) N=463
80
Number of Attacks
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Number of Attacks
00
00
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
-0
75
08 9
00
-0
85
09 9
00
-0
95
10 9
00
-1
05
11 9
00
-1
15
12 9
00
-1
25
13 9
00
-1
35
14 9
00
-1
45
15 9
00
-1
55
Time of Day
16 9
00
-1
65
17 9
00
-1
75
18 9
00
-1
85
19 9
00
-1
95
20 9
00
of Day (1920-2004) N=347
-2
35
9
Florida Shark Attacks by Time
Florida Victim Activity 1900-1999
Number of Attacks
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Sp
in
n er
Bl
ac
H kt
ip
am
m
er
he
ad
Bu
ll
N
ur
se
C
ar Ti
ch ge
a rh r
in
us
sp
p .
Shark Species
Le
m
on
Sa
nd
b ar
Florida (76 of 500 cases)
Bl
ue
M
ak
o
Identified Attacking Species of Sharks in
Florida Drownings and Shark Attack
Fatalities 1992-2000
30
Drownings Shark Fatalities
Number of Deaths
25
20
15
10
0
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Year
Year 2000 Beach Injuries and Fatalities
Estimated attendance 264,156,728
Lifeguard provision of medical care 236,642
Lifeguard rescues from drowning 70,771