California has emerged as a focal point for fatal shark attacks in the United States, according to the latest International Shark Attack File (ISAF) report released Wednesday.
The report, compiled by the Florida Museum of Natural History, shows that while Florida maintains the highest number of shark bites nationally, California’s encounters are proving more deadly.
Global unprovoked shark attacks returned to near-average levels in 2025 with 65 incidents worldwide, slightly below the 10-year average of 72 but up significantly from 47 in 2024. Nine of these attacks proved fatal, exceeding the 10-year average of six deaths per year.
The United States led with 25 unprovoked shark bites, accounting for 38% of global incidents. While Florida recorded the most attacks (11), the sole U.S. fatality occurred in California, where 55-year-old triathlete Erica Fox’s body was found near Santa Cruz in December after she disappeared during a group training swim in Monterey Bay. Investigators determined she was attacked by a great white shark, as reported by The Guardian.
“Shark bites are the consequence of the biology of the animals, the climatic conditions and the number of people in the water at the time of the incident,” explained Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research. “These global patterns change only slightly from one year to the other. But the regional incidents do oscillate a lot.”
Australia recorded 21 unprovoked attacks and five fatalities in 2025, accounting for 56% of global shark-related deaths. Naylor noted that Australia’s exceptional emergency response system likely prevented even more fatalities: “Within minutes of a bite, they’ve got helicopters airborne ready to respond,” he told Forbes.
The report identified the “big three” shark species—great whites, tiger sharks, and bull sharks—as responsible for most serious attacks. These species possess serrated teeth, powerful jaws, and can grow to substantial sizes, enabling them to inflict catastrophic damage with a single bite.
In a historic first, 2025 saw a confirmed fatal attack by a dusky shark in South Africa. The incident occurred during the annual sardine run when a free diver searching for crayfish was fatally bitten.
Despite the increase in attacks, experts emphasize that the risk of shark encounters remains extremely low. According to the CDC, more than 4,000 people drown annually in the U.S. alone, while global lightning strikes kill an estimated 24,000 people yearly.
Meanwhile, shark populations worldwide continue to decline, with approximately 30% of the 1,200 shark species now categorized as endangered. “These animals have managed to persist for about 330 million years. They’ve been through the Permian Extinction and Cretaceous Extinction. Clearly, they’re resilient, yet here we are,” Naylor told CBS19 News.
The ISAF report serves as a scientific baseline for understanding shark behavior and the risks they pose to humans, though researchers acknowledge that many incidents likely go unreported.
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