Shark attacks in Australia

Between 1791 and April 2018 it was reported that there have been 1068 shark attacks in Australia with 237 of them being fatal.

Four species of sharks account for the vast majority of fatal attacks on humans: the bull shark, tiger shark, oceanic whitetip shark and the great white shark.

In an effort to change public perception and garner some sympathy for conservation efforts, starting in 2021, Australian authorities have begun referring to "shark attacks" as "negative encounters" or "interactions." The wording is supposed to dispel the notion of sharks as naturally aggressive predators and instead reiterate their importance to the ecosystem. ^[1]

The white sharks have seen an increase in shark attack incidents over the past two decades. The number of reported attacks have increased from 24 to 55. Within these attacks, they have been responsible for 15 fatalities, 23 injuries, and 17 uninjured incidents.^[2] Along with an increase in shark attacks by the white shark, the bull shark also saw an increase of attacks over the past two decades. They increased from three attacks to 25, accounting for four fatalities, 15 injured, and six uninjured incidents.^[2] While these two species saw an increase in attacks, tiger sharks saw a decrease from 14 attacks to 10 over the past two decades. Tiger sharks were reported being responsible for three fatalities, two injuries, and five uninjured incidents.^[2] New South Wales saw the most shark attacks between the years 1990-1999 with 73 attacks out of a total of 186 incidents that were reported. Queensland experienced 43 total attacks, Western Australia saw 35 attacks, South Australia had 20 attacks, Victoria had 12 attacks, Tasmania experienced two attacks, and Northern Territory had only one reported attack.^[2]

Since the year 1990, there have been 186 reported incidents of shark attacks.^[2] Within these attacks, there have been 57 incidents where the species of shark had been identified, 13 incidents of no identification, and 117 incidents with no identification, but enough information was recorded to assume a species that was involved.^[2] Over the past 20 years, there were only three species of sharks said to have been responsible for attacks leading to fatalities. The species responsible were the white shark, the bull shark, and the tiger shark. 48% of the reported attacks since 1990 were by white sharks, tiger sharks, and bull sharks.^[2] Divers in Australia were especially susceptible to shark attacks in the country, with over a hundred separate and recorded incidents, bites, and attacks involving divers since the 1960's.^[3] Apart from the majority of divers hurt or killed in these attacks being involved in the spearfishing industry, many of these attacks are unprovoked and happen during randomized times and places.^[4]

White sharks were responsible for 15 fatalities, seven of which occurred while the person was at the surface of the water partaking in surfing, swimming, or sailboarding. The white shark locally is nicknamed as "White Pointers" by the locals due to their unmistakeable features when floating near the surface of the water.^[5] The other eight fatalities occurred while the person was fully submerged in the water either snorkeling or scuba diving. Being responsible for four fatalities, the bull shark attacks occurred all at the surface of the water as one victim was swimming and one was surfing.^[2] Bull sharks are especially unique due to the fact that they are one of the only species of shark that is able to sustain itself in both salt and fresh water, increasing its potential for dangerous attacks on humans. ^[6] For the tiger sharks, the three fatalities they are responsible for occurred both at the surface and while submerged. One victim was swimming at the surface and two were submerged while snorkeling and hookah diving. Tiger sharks are historically responsible for the second most attacks on humans on record, mostly due to the fact that they often hunt in shallow waters and are extremely agressive, massively increasing their dangerous potential. ^[7]

Since shark netting began in 1937, the number of deaths from sharks on beaches has been reduced in New South Wales, with only one fatal attack on a netted beach during that time. In Queensland there has not been a fatal attack on a netted beach since nets were introduced in the 1960s.^[8]

Since 1962, anti-shark measures have been implemented along Queensland's coastline to reduce the risk of shark attacks. While the shark netting has proven to be effective in reducing shark attacks, they have faced criticism for the impacts they have had on the ecosystem. This is due to concerns with the use of baited drumlines and nets that may attract sharks to arrears that they are typically not found in. In addition to this, evidence has shown that some sharks, including species that the nets are not meant to trap, have gotten captured while attempting to feed on already entangled animals. ^[9]

The Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts states precautions which can be taken to reduce the risk of shark attacks.^[10] These include avoiding swimming far from the shore, at the mouth of a river or on drop-offs to deeper water; avoiding swimming in dirty water, alone or with domestic animals, near people fishing, or at dusk or night; and to leave the water if schools of fish behave erratically or group in large numbers. The Australian Institute of Marine Science also states many of these and other precautions including not wearing jewelry or reflective clothing while swimming, and not swimming with any bleeding wounds.^[11]

The source, Predicting Potential Future Reduction in Shark Bites on People by Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Phoebe Meagher, Madeline J. Thiele, Robert G. Harcourt, and Charlie Huveneers dives into how many people in Australia might be able to avoid shark bites if they use personal electronic deterrent devices. The New South Wales Government allocated AU$16 million to reduce shark bites which was partly due to offset tourism financial losses. On Réunion Island, a ban on surfing was implemented after numerous fatal shark attacks, creating an estimated economic losses of hundreds of millions annually.^[2] Although electronic deterrents may not fully prevent shark bites, the article finds that they help, especially when combined with other strategies like drones and acoustic tracking, electronic deterrents could effectively lower risks, save lives, and reassure the public to participate in water-related activities.^[12]

The article, Effectiveness of Five Personal Shark-Bite Deterrents for Surfers by Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Sasha Whitmarsh, Madeline J. Thiele, Lauren Meyer, Andrew Fox, and Charlie Huveneers dives into five commercially available shark attack deterrents for surfers and their effectiveness. There is one olfactory product called Chillax Wax, two magnetic products called SharkBanz- bracelet and SharkBanz- leash, and two electric deterrents called Ocean Guardian Freedom + Surf and Rpela.^[13] The study assessed the effectiveness of these five personal shark-bite deterrents designed for surfers, revealing varying levels of success. The study emphasized that while some deterrents reduce risk, none of them eliminate attacks entirely, noting the importance of proper testing before commercial use.^[13]

The Surf+ proved most effective, reducing bait consumption by white sharks from 96% to 40%, but its deterrent effect was limited to a short range (1.7 meters) and failed in 40% of trials.^[13] Other devices, including the Rpela, SharkBanz bracelet and leash, and Chillax Wax, showed minimal to no impact on shark behavior or bait interaction, however the authors stated that the sample size may have a role at play with these minimal results.^[13] It is important to note how complex the functionality is of these technologies and how these findings provide valuable insights to help evaluate and choose the most effective shark deterrents.

Shark attacks can be a traumatizing event for the victims as well as the bystanders. Knowing how to assist a victim if you are to witness a shark attack is very important. Remaining calm is the first step to ensuring you are able to help the person attacked efficiently and safely. If there are other bystanders that can offer assistance, call emergency services. Depending on the severity and location of the bite, the person that has been attacked may not be able to walk themselves. If this is the case, they will need help to evacuate the water. The person should only be brought as far out of the water as necessary to be able to successfully resuscitate.^[14] It is important to lift the person to avoid dragging the injuries through the sand and place them on a clean, dry surface such as a beach towel.^[14] Securing the airway as well as compression to stop the bleeding is the next step.^[14] To control the bleeding, elevate the limb and apply pressure to the affected area. Tourniquets are best used for large wounds and can be made from any piece of material such as a T-shirt. Keep applying pressure to the wound to control the bleeding while waiting for paramedics to arrive on the scene.

Australia reported the second-highest number of total shark related incidents, with the annual average increasing from nine bites per year between 1990 and 2000 to 22 bites per year from 2010 to 2020. The reasons for the rise in shark bites, particularly in Australia, remain a topic of debate. One hypothesis discusses how it might be due to the increase in the human population along coastal areas and the increase in water-based activities such as surfing and diving. Researches have also discussed how it might be due to environmental factors, such as variations in water temperature, reduced water clarity in some regions, and climate change, which are all considered potential contributors to the increase in shark bite incidents. Although researchers have done research into what might be driving these sharks to attack humans it has been noted that due to the small number of attacks and sporadic nature of them it is hard to pinpoint a specific reason. ^[15]

Sharks are pivotal within marine ecosystems in terms of ecosystem diversity, resilience, and health along Australian coastlines. Australia's shark population works to prevent overgrazing of marine vegetation like seagrass by their prey, which makes the ecosystems resilient to environmental changes. Tiger sharks and White sharks, the larger shark species in the country, play an important role as well by preying on herbivores. Without these carnivorous shark species, Australia would face an utter decimation of seagrass beds which are highly instrumental in ocean health.^[16] These large species, however, face imminent danger from overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change. Consequently, roughly half of all shark species could become extinct. Warmer waters are forcing them to migrate to different homes and changing how Australian ecosystems work. These issues have called for shifting the conservation means with a concentration on the protection of populations of sharks and their roles within the ecosystem. This includes establishing marine protected areas, control of fishing practices, and a shift of conservation policy accounting for range shifts under climate change. These are necessary to keep the marine environments of Australia balanced and healthy for years to come. ^[17]

The Australian Shark-Incident Database (ASID) was established in 1984, which is maintained maintained by Taronga Conservation Society Australia, and holds extensive records on shark-bite incidents in Australia. The data base is managed through Taronga's ELO Java Client content-management system and is only abled to be edited by a select team of people. The data base includes detailed records of shark bite incidents from the past two centuries, using data that was collected as early as 1791. The data collected uses approximately 100 descriptor fields to help provide a detailed summary of the incident, which includes the geographical location, weather conditions, recovery status of the victims, the shark species involved, and the time of attack. The ASID is considered to be the most comprehensive of its kind for Australia and it serves as a critical resource for research on shark interactions.^[18]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2009)

• Shark attack
• Shark attack prevention
• Shark attacks in South Australia
• List of fatal shark-incidents in Australia

^[1]

^[2]

• Shark Bait-Shark Bite, The Courier-Mail 16 Dec 1933

• Shark research institute Australia stats