How many shark attacks along the Pacific last year?
January 13th, 2009, 9:29 am · 6 Comments · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
Shark expert Ralph Collier at the Shark Research Committee just sent over his round-up of shark encounters along the Pacific Coast, showing there were five unprovoked shark attacks last year.
The victims, some from or near Orange County, were either surfing (2), kayaking (2) and swimming (1).
Here’s more from the Shark Research Committee:
The fatal attack on swimmer David Martin at Solana Beach in April (read story here) was the third fatality confirmed for the 21st Century, with the prior two occurring in the month of August in 2003 and 2004. The Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was positively identified as the causal species in all five of the attacks verified in 2008.
This brings the total number of authenticated shark attacks along the West Coast during the first eight years of the 21st Century to 42, ‘more than five times’ the twentieth century annual average.
“Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century” authenticated 108 unprovoked shark attacks from the Pacific Coast between 1900 and 1999.
The great white shark, was implicated in 94 of the attacks with an annual average of slightly more than one shark attack per year.
Since 2000, there have been 42 unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast.
The most recent victim was Tony Johnson kayaking near Tomales Head and Dillon Beach, California on Dec. 20.
He was the eighth kayaker to be attacked off the Pacific Coast since the first reported incident in 1989 and the 150th shark attack victim since 1900. Great whites have been implicated in 130 of the 150 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America.
Additional information regarding the Shark Research Committee’s conservation, education, and research programs and how you can participate are available at:
www.sharkresearchcommittee.com
Related links:
Huntington woman knocked off kayak by shark
Surfer in HB says he was attacked by shark
POLL: Would you get back in the water after being attacked?
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6 Comments
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This is why I try to avoid the ocean. To many big animals that can eat me, or accidently hurt/kill me.
GREAT- my son is out in my kayak right now.
I’d rather be diving in our waters than driving the 101 or 405 freeways. However, it is interesting to note the increase in shark attack frequency over the pasty eight years. That is something that appears to merit further analysis. Of course prior to WW II the human population along our coast wasn’t anywhere near as great as it has become. Lower shark attack numbers are undoubtedly related to that lower human population level. It would be interesting to see the number of attacks as a percentage of the human population living within say 50 miles of the Ca coast.
I agree with Dr. Bill. I’d rather take my chances with the sharks than the freeways. You’re more likely to be killed by a collapsing hole in the sand at the beach than from a great white.
Scott M., can you prove that claim?
Dan B. I wish I had a reference to cite, but what Scott M is referring to is not some random fluke accident at the beach, but people digging holes in the sand, especially near the water line and then having that hole collapse or flood and bury them.