'Sharks Don't Like to Eat People': Attack Statistics Contradict Untested Theories

Mick Fanning’s close shave with a shark while competing in South Africa is likely to amplify mutterings from some ocean-goers over what they perceive as a dangerous escalation in shark numbers.
Any flurry of shark attacks spurs calls for something to be done. Already in 2015, there have been 13 unprovoked attacks by sharks, causing one fatality, in Australia. This is fairly unusual – there’s only been one year over the past decade with more than 14 attacks.
In the US, eight people have been attacked off the coast of North Carolina since the start of June. In one incident, a 12-year-old girl had her arm and part of her leg bitten off, while a 16-year-old boy had to have his arm amputated.
These incidents have led to a string of untested theories, with the North Carolina attacks blamed upon a change in water temperature that attracted a large group of migrating warm-water sharks, such as bull and tiger sharks. So far, 2015 looks set to be on the higher side in numbers of global shark attacks. Last year, there were 72 unprovoked shark attacks in the world, leading to three deaths, according to the University of Florida, which collates shark attack statistics.