Share and Follow
In 2025, the world saw a rise in unprovoked shark bites, with fatalities surpassing the average of the past decade, as reported by the International Shark Attack File (ISAF).
The International Shark Attack File, part of the Florida Museum of Natural History, documented a total of 65 unprovoked shark bites around the globe in 2025. This figure marked an increase from 2024’s unusually low numbers and approached the decade’s average of 72 incidents per year. Notably, 12 of these encounters were fatal, twice the average of six unprovoked deaths annually over the past ten years.
Gavin Naylor, the director of the Florida Program for Shark Research and a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History, remarked that it is premature to conclude if this rise indicates a long-term trend.
“It’s difficult to say,” Naylor told Fox News Digital. “Most fatalities occurred in Australia, where there might be an increase in certain shark species and a greater number of surfers exploring new, often remote, surfing spots. There’s also been a rise in new forms of water sports, such as foiling.”
In 2025, shark bites worldwide climbed to 65 unprovoked attacks, with fatalities reaching 12 — double the previous decade’s average. Experts remain cautious about declaring this a definitive trend. (iStock)
He said additional years of data will be needed to determine whether 2025 represents the start of a trend.
“We will be able to say more if the trend continues in subsequent years,” he said. “For now we cannot exclude the notion that it is a statistical ‘blip.’”
Researchers say it’s too early to determine whether the increase signals a long-term trend, noting many of the fatal attacks occurred in Australia. (iStock)
ISAF investigated 105 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide in 2025.
Of those, 65 were confirmed as unprovoked. Twenty-nine were classified as provoked, including incidents involving fishing, handling sharks or attempting to touch them. Other cases involved boat strikes or could not be definitively categorized.
The United States recorded the largest share of unprovoked bites, accounting for about 38% of the global total. Florida continued to lead the nation with 11 unprovoked attacks, more than twice as many as any other state.
The sole fatality in the US was triathlete Erica Fox, 55, whose body was found near Santa Cruz, California, on December 21 after she vanished during a group training swim.
The coroner ruled the cause of death as “sharp and blunt force injuries and submersion in water.”
Florida reported more incidents than any other U.S. state, though most cases were nonfatal.
| U.S. State | Total | Fatal |
| Florida | 11 | 0 |
| California | 5 | 1 |
| Hawaii | 4 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 0 |
| New York | 1 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 0 |
| Texas | 1 | 0 |
| Total Cases: | 25 | 1 |
Australia ranked second in total unprovoked bites, representing roughly 32% of incidents worldwide.
A shark attack sign is posted at the Sand Dollar Beach section of Manresa State Beach in Watsonville, California. (Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
While the number of unprovoked bites rose in 2025 compared with the previous year, the total remains within the range observed over the past decade, according to the group’s annual summary.
An unprovoked bite is defined as an incident in which a person is bitten in a shark’s natural habitat without prior human interaction. Provoked incidents are tracked separately to maintain consistency in reporting and long-term comparisons.
Related Article
