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Research News

Florida Program for Shark Research

Blacktip shark swims through a school of fish.

Life on Earth

Unprovoked shark bites plummeted in 2024

February 11, 2025

2024 was an exceptionally calm year for shark bites. Worldwide, there were only 47 unprovoked attacks, down 22 from the…
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Underwater photo of a tiger shark swimming towards the camera. There are fish in the background.

Life on Earth

Shark bites consistent with recent trends, with small spike in fatalities

February 5, 2024

There was an increase in the number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide and an uptick in fatalities in 2023 compared…
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shark swimming in blue water photographed from above. The green-grey shark contrasts strongly with the blue water.

Life on Earth

Shark bites tied for 10-year low in 2022 but spiked in regional hotspots

February 6, 2023

The number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide decreased last year, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents…
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Tiger shark floating languidly above white seafloor sands

Life on Earth

After three years of declines, shark bites are again on the rise

January 24, 2022

After three consecutive years of worldwide declines, the number of shark bites picked up in 2021, with a total of…
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Shelly Gaynor collecting plants along a slope

Fieldwork

Students return to the field with the aid of museum travel awards

October 21, 2021

Every year, the Florida Museum’s Department of Natural History awards funding for University of Florida graduate students to help cover…
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white shark

Life on Earth

Shark attack numbers remained ‘extremely low’ in 2020, but fatalities spiked

January 25, 2021

Shark attacks decreased for the third consecutive year, falling to 57 unprovoked bites worldwide in 2020, compared with 64 bites…
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empty beach with lounge chairs

Life on Earth

Shark attacks drop during coronavirus lockdown

June 19, 2020

Shark attack numbers have sunk to dramatic lows, likely a side effect of closed beaches and widespread quarantines, according to…
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students catch shark

Features

Welcome to shark class

February 27, 2020

Last summer, the University of Florida and Florida State University set aside their longstanding rivalry to offer students a unique…
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cookiecutter shark

Life on Earth

Shark attacks remained low in 2019 – but bites from the elusive cookiecutter were up

January 21, 2020

Shark attacks were unusually low for the second year running, with 64 unprovoked bites in 2019, according to the University…
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A color illustration of a thorny skate with dramatized thorns

Evolution

Florida Museum scientists zoom in on DNA to save thorny skates

September 30, 2019

With toothlike spines and barbs, thorny skates are just as sharp as their name suggests. But these shark relatives are…
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Contact Info

Florida Museum of Natural History
Gainesville, FL 32611

Media inquiries:
Jerald Pinson, Science Writer

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