Statistics show fewest attacks last year since 2009

Feb 18, 2014 16:08 GMT  ·  By

On Monday, February 17, the 2013 International Shark Attack File was released by the University of Florida. The document, which is compiled for every year, keeps tabs on the number of shark attacks recorded around the world, as well as on the fatalities that these attacks create. 

According to the new dataset, 2013 saw the lowest number of shark attacks since 2009. On the downside, the number of fatalities recorded following these assaults climbed above the 10-year average. A total of 10 people lost their lives to the sea creatures last year.

Only 47 shark attacks were recorded in the US last year, as opposed to 54 in 2012, Saint Peter's Blog reports.

“Shark populations are not in a growth phase by any means, so a rise in the number of sharks is not to blame. However, we can predict with some reliability that shark attacks will concurrently rise with the growth of human populations, a trend we saw throughout the past century,” said George Burgess.

The expert, who is the curator of the file at the Florida Museum of Natural History, says that Reunion island and western Australia remain hot spots for shark attack-related fatalities, with 5 deaths in 3 years, and 6 deaths in 4 years, respectively.