Florida man speaks out about shark attack in Bahamas
Marlin Wakeman, 24, was working on a dock in the Bahamas on April 26 when he lost his footing and fell into a “shark pit.” He said he was attacked by 20 sharks when he hit the water, but managed to escape. (Photo courtesy of WSVN)
Florida, and Volusia County in particular, is the shark capital of the world.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, the highest number of unprovoked shark attacks in the world occurs in Florida, particularly Volusia County, with 351 attacks since 1882.
Next is Brevard County with 158 cases, followed by Palm Beach with 83 cases.
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According to the Florida Museum, an unprovoked bite is “defined as an incident in which a live human is bitten in the shark's natural habitat without the human provoking the shark.”
Since 1926, most shark attacks have occurred in September, according to the report.
There have been 351 random shark attacks in Volusia County since 1882. (Jesus Olarte/AFP via Getty Images)
July, August and October are also the months with the most attacks in Florida.
There were 36 confirmed unprovoked attacks in the United States in 2023, down from 41 recorded in 2022, according to the report.
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Australia had 15 attacks last year, the second highest in the world.
In the United States, Hawaii was second only to Florida, which recorded a total of 16 shark bites, with eight indiscriminate bites recorded in 2023.
New York had four, North Carolina had three, California and South Carolina had two each, and New Jersey had one.
To protect yourself from sharks, follow these tips, including staying with friends at all times while in the water and staying on shore. (Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
Most of the people who died from shark bites last year were taking part in surfing or board sports, according to a new report.
Surfing/board sports accounted for 42% of attacks in 2023.
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This was followed by swimming/water activities at 39% and snorkelling/free diving at 13%. Six percent of the attacks were classified as “other.”
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There are several safety precautions you should take to reduce your risk when entering the water, especially in areas known for high rates of shark attacks.
A new report finds that most of the beachgoers killed in shark attacks last year were participating in surfing or board sports. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)
Here are some safety precautions outlined by the Florida National History Museum:
Swim with a companion, don't stray too far from shore, avoid swimming at dawn or dusk, don't swim where there are schools of fish or fishing, don't wear shiny jewelry, and don't splash around too much.
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Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.