Graphs of Worldwide Trends
in Shark Attacks Over the Past Decade & Century
1960 - 2004 Unprovoked Shark Attacks
World and USA (N=1405)
Unprovoked shark attacks for World (Yellow) and United States (Blue) from 1960 through 2004. The drop in recorded attacks in 1969 (dashed-dotted line) is a result of a loss of funding to support the ISAF, and hence less effort reporting and organizing of attacks (see The History of the International Shark Attack File). The apparent increase in attacks after 1987 (dotted line) is in part an artifact of the ISAF moving to the Florida Museum of Natural History, resulting in an increased scope of coverage and reporting of attacks. The apparent increase in attacks after 1993 (dashed line) is in part an artifact of a breakthrough in communication with Volusia County (FL) emergency responders and lifeguards, resulting in the reporting of a greater number of minor attacks that had previously gone unreported.
Data current as of: March 10, 2005.
Use these data with caution,
remembering that scientific and media coverage of shark attack during the
early part of this century was far less inclusive than that today. The
apparent drop in number of attacks in the 1970's and 1980's is in part
reflective of the largely inactive state of the ISAF during those decades.
The ISAF welcomes unsolicited documentation of attacks from this time
period.
Data current as of: February 25, 2005
|
