Reports indicate that the United States has become the "capital of shark attacks in the world," amid a wave of horrific incidents in Florida, Texas, New York, and California. Last year, more than half of the confirmed shark attacks, totaling 69 cases worldwide, occurred in the United States. Experts speculate that climate change and rising sea levels could be altering the behavior of these predatory animals.
Some experts cited by the "Daily Mail" believe the increase in shark attacks results from a combination of surplus migratory fish near coastlines and environmental conditions, while others attribute it to America's efforts in ocean cleaning. Many experts suggest that the U.S. environmental conservation efforts aimed at reducing ocean pollution have changed the hunting behaviors of sharks, bringing them closer to coastal waters.
In some states, such as New York, efforts to clean rivers flowing into the ocean have reduced the amount of polluted water reaching the sea, leading to a resurgence in marine life. Chris Paparo, a shark expert at Stony Brook University in Long Island, stated, "Seeing sharks in our local ecosystem is extremely important, and it’s a sign that our surrounding environment is healthy."
However, professors Oliver Shibley and Michael Frisk at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook noted to the "Daily Mail" that it cannot be definitively said that there is one specific reason for sharks swimming close to shore. Shibley remarked, "I don't think the frequency of incidents is higher in the U.S. because sharks are more aggressive here compared to elsewhere; I think there are other demographic factors that may play a role." He clarified that there is no conclusive evidence that pollution has contributed to sharks being closer to the shore.
Frisk and Shibley indicated that shark populations have not increased significantly over the past 30 to 50 years, and shark attacks are likely to occur where schools of fish gather. Florida and California witness most shark attacks in the U.S. every year due to the increased number of people swimming in the waters of those regions. The international shark attack records revealed that great white sharks and tiger sharks accounted for the majority of casualties in 2023, but the rise in fatalities is attributed to a greater number of people in the ocean each year.
