World’s deadliest sharks and their ‘hunting grounds’ revealed in horrifying list – as Great White rivals roam hotspot
NEW shark research has revealed the top five deadliest species by the number of attacks worldwide.
A report by the University of Florida (UFL) has shared the deadliest sharks by both non-fatal and fatal unprovoked attacks around the world.
The report does note that it’s very difficult to identify attacking sharks “since victims rarely make adequate observations of the attacker during the ‘heat’ of the interaction.”
“This list must be used with caution because attacks involving easily identified species, such as white, tiger, sand tiger, hammerhead, and nurse sharks, nearly always identify the attacking species, while cases involving difficult-to-identify species, such as requiem sharks of the genus Carcharhinus, seldom correctly identify the attacker,” the report stated.
“Thus the list is skewed to readily identified species,” the report added.
Below we have detailed the top five deadliest sharks the report recorded.
Great White
Around the world, the Great White shark strikes fear into the hearts of swimmers.
Known as Carcharodon carcharias, the killer marine animal can grow a staggering 20 feet long.
UFL found 292 non-fatal attacks and 59 fatal attacks were carried out by Great Whites worldwide.
Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have a water temperature of between 54° to 75° F.
A high concentration can be found off the southern coasts of Australia, South Africa, California, and Mexico’s Isla Guadalupe.
Tiger
Galeocerdo cuvier, also known as the Tiger shark, is one of the most aggressive shark species out there.
When hunting for prey, these sharks use slow movement but sophisticated ambush strategy.
At their largest, they measure 7-to-14 feet long.
UFL recorded 103 non-fatal unprovoked attacks by Tiger sharks and 38 fatal unprovoked attacks around the world.
Tiger sharks are found worldwide, but especially off the east coast of North America from Cape Cod to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Some Tiger sharks have also been found on the west coast from California southward.
Bull
Bull sharks, also called Carcharhinus leucas, are a species of requiem shark commonly found worldwide.
They tend to swim in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers like the Amazon and the Mississippi.
Like the Tiger shark, bull sharks are known for being aggressive in nature.
Around the world, UFL recorded 93 non-fatal unprovoked attacks and 26 fatal unprovoked attacks.
Requiem
Requiem sharks (Carcharhinus spp.) are very fast and efficient hunters, thus making them very dangerous.
UFL found 46 non-fatal unprovoked attacks, and 5 fatal unprovoked attacks carried out by Reqiuem sharks around the world.
Many types of sharks can be classified as “requiem” including Tigers and Bull.
They are typically found in barrier reefs, along coasts, and in estuaries – coastal water bodies where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with salt water from the ocean.
Sand Tiger
Rounding out the list is the sand tiger shark, or Carcharias taurus, which can measure up to 10 feet long.
Typically, sand tigers are relatively docile and don’t interact with humans.
However, sometimes attacks can happen by younger sharks that accidentally bite someone while chasing fish.
UFL only found 36 non-fatal unprovoked attacks by sand tiger sharks around the world – zero fatal attacks were recorded.
This species of shark can be found in the Eastern and Western Atlantic, the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas.