White Shark Attacks
(1968 - 2018)
Fatal Selector (displays whether fatal Yes / No):
The White Shark, more commonly referred to as the "Great White," has been reported to be involved in more attacks on humans than any other shark. It's thought that they attack humans when they mistake diver and surfer silhouettes
in the water during approaching from below the surface of the water. An alternative theory has also been suggested that Great Whites attack unfamiliar objects to test their potential as food. If true, that would help explain
their involvement over the years in myriad hit-and-run attacks near beaches.
CREDIT: CBS Interactive Inc.(2019)
Select a Country from the Selector or Pie Chart:
Type Selector (displays count of incident type):
Fossil remains suggest the Great White dates back to the early Eocene eras, which lasted from about 56 to 34 million years ago. Mature males reach an average size of 10.5 feet while females can average 14 feet. Active during
daytime hours, Great Whites feed on marine animals - they don't like sea birds or sea otters particularly. Not very much is known about the size of the great white's total population. Described as a slow-growing animal with
low fertility rates, the Great White is considered at risk of overfishing.
CREDIT: CBS Interactive Inc.(2019)
Composite Chart showing number of White Shark attacks over fifty year period in various countries:
Specify year from the dropdown-selector or hover over individual year / country datapoints to show on graph
Table showing descending chronological events over a fifty year period:
| Year | Type | Country | Activity | Sex | Age | Fatal (Y/N) | Species |
|---|
Stacked Bar Chart showing type of attacks that were fatal:
The types of attacks are split into four catagories with the highest frequency occuring whilst unprovoked.
Pie Chart showing Ages of victims:
The most frequent known age group is 20-29. The youngest is 12 and oldest is 74.
Pie Chart showing fatalities (Y/N):
Only 50 0f 298 attacks were fatal. No 'Provoked' attacks ended in fatality.
Types of activity that have resulted in White Shark attacks:
Of the 298 recorded attacks, 94 were incidents involving surfing.