15-year-old Khai Cowley was out surfing with his father when he was attacked by what is believed to be a great white shark. The boy was brought to shore but his life could not be saved.
The tragic incident off Adelaide in December is one of a string of disproportionately fatal shark attacks in Australia last year. In total, 69 unprovoked shark attacks were recorded around the world in 2023, ten of which were fatal, according to International shark attack file (ISAF) at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
That was an increase from five fatal unprovoked shark attacks the year before.
Over half of the unprovoked attacks (52 percent) took place in the United States – particularly in the state of Florida. Two attacks in the country had a fatal outcome. A fifth of all attacks (22 percent) took place in Australia, but there as many as four of them were fatal.
Photo: Photo: ANDERS HUMLEBO/TT”A little worrying”
Overall, a small increase was seen in the statistics of how many people were bitten by sharks. The average over the past five years is 63 unprovoked attacks a year.
“This is within the range of the normal number of bites, although the deaths are a little concerning this year,” Gavin Naylor, director of the shark research program at the Florida Museum of Natural History, said in a statement.
Surfers were most vulnerable to shark bites. Three of the fatal shark attacks occurred off a remote surf beach in the Australian state of South Australia. In addition to fantastic waves, there are many seal colonies that attract great white sharks.
Without provocation
ISAF documents and investigates all shark attacks on humans, but focuses in its annual statistical report mainly on unprovoked attacks. They are defined as cases where sharks are in their natural habitat and attack without human provocation.
Most unprovoked attacks are test bites that occur when a shark mistakes a human for its preferred prey. Most of the time, they realize their mistake and swim away. But species such as great white sharks and tiger sharks are so large that a single bite can be fatal.
In 2023, 22 attacks were registered which are categorized as provoked, mainly in connection with spear fishing.