But in the nine year period from 2012 to 2020, 23 people were killed by sharks in Australia. That's an average of 2.56 shark deaths per year in Australia. In essence, then, sharks kill two to three people every year in Australia.
In 2021, the Australian Shark Incident Database reported a total of 24 human/shark incidents in Australia. This number is significantly higher than the 2022 number due to the incomplete records for 2022. 19 of these incidents were unprovoked, were at the time of the incident: 7 victims were swimming.
For sharks, the odds aren't so good. The International Fund for Animal Welfare reports that every year, humans kill around 100 million sharks.
Which shark has killed the most humans? As of April 2021, the great white shark - the species portrayed in the film “Jaws” - is responsible for the highest number of unprovoked attacks with 333 total events including 52 fatalities.
The great white shark, also known as the "white pointer," is the largest and deadliest predatory shark in the ocean.
On the morning of January 15, 1983, a body of a black man washed ashore. Most of the body had been devoured by sharks. It appeared a shark had bit his foot when he was alive. However, it is unknown if this is what caused his death, as he could have drowned before he was bitten.
Made of very strong and thick bone, dolphin snouts are biological battering rams. Dolphins will position themselves several yards under a shark and burst upwards jabbing their snout into the soft underbelly of the shark causing serious internal injuries. More than Peas in a Pod.
This kind of accidental capture of marine wildlife is called bycatch and it's a component of most commercial fishing operations. Whether through intentional fishing or bycatch, humans kill more than 11,400 sharks per hour.
Italy leads all Mediterranean countries when it comes to sharks and their attacks on humans. Since 1900, 50 attacks have been recorded, 11 of which have resulted in death.
Coral Sea. This warm body of water off Australia's north-east coast is crawling with 125 species of shark species, notably the grey reef shark, whitetip reef shark, silvertip shark, tiger shark, great hammerhead, and even the rare lined lanternshark, a tiny fish that occupies very deep ocean.
The Bull Shark also inhabits fresh water and is considered to be a very dangerous shark because of its aggressive nature and liking for shallow habitats. It has been found thousands of kilometres from the sea in the upper reaches of the Amazon River.
Australia's oceans are also home to the three most deadly sharks responsible for almost all recorded shark attacks in Australia, namely the Great Whites, Tiger Sharks and Bull Sharks. That being said, despite the omnipresent fear of shark bite, 97% of all shark species are harmless.
How many sharks are killed each year? Humans kill an estimated 100 million sharks every year. That's an average of almost 274,000 sharks every day, over 11,000 sharks every hour, and around three sharks every second!
Scientists point to one main contributing factor that is causing this rapid decline in total world shark population: shark finning. Shark finning is a specific type of shark fishing, wherein fishermen hunt solely for shark skin and flesh, which in turn, can be used for merchandise, food and other purposes.
According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), between 1958 and 2016 there were 2,785 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks around the world, of which 439 were fatal. Between 2001 and 2010, an average of 4.3 people a year died as a result of shark attacks.
Because of their intelligence and social nature, orca whales are unlikely to attack humans out of aggression or hostility. In fact, there have been numerous instances of orca whales coming to the aid of humans who were in danger, such as when a group of orca whales helped a diver escape from a shark attack.
Sharks are often viewed as one of the ocean's top apex predators, but despite this rather prestigious classification, there's one marine animal that most sharks prefer to avoid crossing paths with entirely: the bottlenose dolphin.
No one knows why, but dolphins have been saving people for thousands of years. Dating back to Ancient Greece, there are dozens of claims of dolphins rescuing people from sharks, helping drowning sailors, and guiding boats through rough waters. But it's not just ancient mythology – it's still happening all the time.
Mr Nellist, a former RAF gunner who survived two tours of Afghanistan, died just 500 feet from horrified beachgoers. At the time, his devastated family paid tribute to the 'proud Cornishman' who had made Australia his home with his fiancée Jessie.
Do People Swim In Shark Alley (Dyer Island)? One man recently swam from Cape Town to Dyer Island and back. As crazy as it sounds, some people do swim in the areas around Dyer Island. Dewet du Toit from Stellenbosch recently became the first man to swim the 7.7 km to Dyer Island and back to the mainland.
CAPE TOWN STATS
Since 1960 however, only 28 attacks have occurred on the Cape Peninsula. That is roughly one attack every two years. Of these 28 attacks on the peninsula, a high percentage have been on spearfishers and and surfers.