DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — (Note: The video above is from a previous related report.)
Duval County has the fifth-highest number of shark attacks ever recorded in the United States, according to data from the International Shark Attack File.
Forty-six shark attacks have been recorded in Duval County since record-keeping began in 1837. The majority of shark attacks on record occur in the state of Florida, with Volusia County claiming the most at 320.
Known as the "shark attack capital of the world," Florida counties comprise seven of the top 10 counties for shark attacks ever recorded. However, the chances of getting bitten by a shark are extremely low, even in Florida.
There have been 868 shark attacks in the state since 1837, according to ISAF. In 2020, the state drew more than 86 million tourists, the lowest annual number of visitors since 2010, according to state tourism agency Visit Florida.
A Staten Island, New York, yacht business mapped out the number of shark attacks county-by-county. The 10 U.S. counties with the most shark attacks ever recorded include:
- Volusia County, FL: 320
- Brevard County, FL: 153
- Palm Beach County, FL: 80
- Maui County, HI: 69
- Duval County, FL: 46
- St. Johns County, FL: 44
- Oahu County, HI: 42
- Martin County, FL: 39
- Charleston County, SC: 36
- St. Lucie County, FL: 35
From 2011 to 2020, the five states reporting the most shark attacks were Florida (236), Hawaii (73), South Carolina (43), North Carolina (32) and California (29).
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The number of shark attacks in 2020 decreased dramatically to half the number of annual attacks from 2014 to 2016, ISAF data shows. Just 16 attacks were reported in 2020 in Florida.
And if the small number of shark attacks isn't enough to assuage your fears, consider this: Of the five deadly shark attacks in 2019, only two were confirmed to be unprovoked.
According to treehugger.com, these 10 animals are more likely to kill you than sharks:
- Mosquitos
- Hippos
- Deer
- Bees
- Dogs
- Jellyfish
- Cows
- Spiders
- Horses
- Snakes