Dugongberbulu
Contributor
GAINESVILLE, Florida (AP) -- Shark attacks were down worldwide last year, continuing a five-year trend due in part to humans being more savvy about how to avoid being bitten, a monitoring program reported Monday.
There were 58 total attacks in 2005, compared with 65 in 2004, while the number of fatal attacks dropped from seven to four, said George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File based at the University of Florida's Museum of Natural History.
There were 78 attacks in 2000 -- a record year for attacks. Eleven of them were fatal, Burgess said. (Watch an Australian shark frenzy -- :43)
Surfers were the most frequent victims last year, accounting for 29 attacks, followed by 20 attacks on swimmers and waders and four attacks on divers.
"It appears that humans are doing a better job of avoiding being bitten, and on the rare occasion where they actually meet up with a shark, and are doing the right thing to save their lives," Burgess said.
Burgess said swimmers need to fight back if a shark attacks, pointing to a suffer who survived a December 24 attack off the Oregon coast by using a well-timed punch to the shark's nose. Punching the gills and poking the eyes also work, Burgess said.
Despite a worldwide decline, the number attacks in the United States rose slightly from 30 in 2004 to 38 in 2005, but well below the record of 52 in 2000.
Florida remained to U.S. shark attack capital, where the number of attacks increased from 12 to 18, but below the record of 37, Burgess said.
The number of shark attacks depends on a variety of factors, including ocean and weather conditions and abundance of prey, Burgess said.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
There were 58 total attacks in 2005, compared with 65 in 2004, while the number of fatal attacks dropped from seven to four, said George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File based at the University of Florida's Museum of Natural History.
There were 78 attacks in 2000 -- a record year for attacks. Eleven of them were fatal, Burgess said. (Watch an Australian shark frenzy -- :43)
Surfers were the most frequent victims last year, accounting for 29 attacks, followed by 20 attacks on swimmers and waders and four attacks on divers.
"It appears that humans are doing a better job of avoiding being bitten, and on the rare occasion where they actually meet up with a shark, and are doing the right thing to save their lives," Burgess said.
Burgess said swimmers need to fight back if a shark attacks, pointing to a suffer who survived a December 24 attack off the Oregon coast by using a well-timed punch to the shark's nose. Punching the gills and poking the eyes also work, Burgess said.
Despite a worldwide decline, the number attacks in the United States rose slightly from 30 in 2004 to 38 in 2005, but well below the record of 52 in 2000.
Florida remained to U.S. shark attack capital, where the number of attacks increased from 12 to 18, but below the record of 37, Burgess said.
The number of shark attacks depends on a variety of factors, including ocean and weather conditions and abundance of prey, Burgess said.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
