Florida achieved one scary record that left tourists with a sinking feeling

Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. 

But the sun and beaches have a dark side. 

And Florida achieved one scary record that left tourists with a sinking feeling. 

Florida is the shark attack capital of the world again 

Florida set one record that tourism officials in the state did not want. 

The Sunshine State was once again the world leader for the most unprovoked shark attacks. 

In 2024, 14 people in Florida were bitten by sharks, according to the International Shark Attack File.

The International Shark Attack File is a database that tracks shark attacks across the globe which is run by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the University of Florida.

None of the shark attacks in Florida last year were fatal. 

The only recorded death from a shark attack in the United States was a surfer in Oahu, Hawaii.

Texas and Hawaii were in second place behind Florida with four shark attacks apiece. 

Shark attacks declined in 2024 worldwide to 47, which was down from 69 the previous year. 

Only four of the shark attacks were fatal last year compared to 10 in 2023. 

Researchers use the data from the International Shark File to better understand how and why sharks attack. 

“We’re interested in the natural patterns of shark behavior so that we can understand why people occasionally get bitten by these animals,” Florida Program for Shark Research director Gavin Naylor explained.

A Florida country is ground zero for shark attacks 

Volusia County, Florida, home to Daytona Beach, had the most shark attacks of any area of Florida with 8. 

Most of the shark attacks in Volusia County and along Florida’s Atlantic coast are perpetrated by blacktip sharks. 

The area is a breeding ground for these medium-sized sharks, who reach up to five feet in length. 

Bull sharks, tiger sharks, and great white sharks carry out most of the sharks in the world. 

They tend to stay farther away from the shore on Florida’s Atlantic coast. 

“You’ll see 20 to 30 of them patrolling the coast about 500 feet offshore, where they mind their own business,” Naylor stated. 

Most of the bites on humans come from juvenile sharks that have not learned how to differentiate between people and food. 

Volusia County is a popular area for surfers in Florida, which increases their chances of being bitten by a shark. 

About 33% of shark attacks in the world were surfers. 

“People surf where there are good waves, and where there are good waves, there’s turbidity, and where there’s turbidity, there are often bait fish that attract sharks,” Naylor stated. “The turbidity also reduces visibility in the water, making it harder for sharks to see. Some of them make mistakes.”

The odds of being bitten by a shark are extremely low. 

Rip currents and undertows pose a far greater risk to people in the ocean than sharks, but they get much less attention. 

The fear of the unknown lurking underneath the water sparks pure terror for many people.