Unprovoked shark attacks up sharply in 2025, with 12 human deaths worldwide

Report records 65 unprovoked attacks - but annual drowning deaths in US alone exceed 4,000

The number of people killed or bitten by sharks in unprovoked attacks globally increased significantly in 2025, a report published on Wednesday has found, while a single Florida county maintained its crown as the so-called shark bite capital of the world.

The International Shark Attack File, compiled by the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida, recorded 65 unprovoked attacks worldwide, up from 47 during 2024, and an increase on the five-year average of 61.