- There were 7 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported
from the Pacific Coast of North America during 2010. There were 5 attacks
(1 fatal) from California and 2 from Oregon. The attacks were distributed
in the following months; July (2), August (2), September (1) and October
(2). From 2000 to the present, of 56 total reported shark attacks, 28
(50%), occurred during the months August (10), September (8), or October
(10). If we use the Southern Santa Barbara County line as a division between
Southern and Central California, 1 of the reported attacks occurred in
Southern California with the remaining 4 north of the division line. Both
Oregon shark attack locations were about midway between the California
and Washington borders at Winchester Bay and the Siuslaw River. Activities
of the victims were; 3 Surfing, 2 Kayaking, 1 Paddle-Boarder, and 1 Boogie
Boarder (fatal). The Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was positively
identified or highly suspect in all 7 of the attacks.
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- The publication "Shark Attacks of the Twentieth
Century" authenticated 108 unprovoked shark attacks from the Pacific
Coast between 1900 and 1999. The Great White Shark was implicated in 94
(87%) of the 108 confirmed attacks with an annual average of slightly more
than one shark attack per year. The 7 cases reported for 2010 brings the
total number of unprovoked shark attacks occurring along the West Coast
during the first decade of the 21st Century to 56. This is 'more than five
times' the Twentieth Century annual average and represents 52% of the total
number of attacks reported for the entire Twentieth Century. The Great
White Shark has been implicated in 48 (86%) of the 56 attacks reported
during this Century. There have been 164 authenticated unprovoked shark
attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America since 1900. The
Great White Shark was positively identified or highly suspect in 142 (87%)
of the 164 reported cases.
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- Victim activity for the 56 unprovoked shark attacks reported
from the Pacific Coast since 2000 are distributed in the following groups;
surfers 38 (68%) of the documented attacks with 5 swimmers (9%), 5 kayakers
(9%), 3 divers (5%), 3 paddle boarders (5%), and 1 boogie boarder (2%).
The number of adult, sub-adult, and juvenile Great White Sharks observed
in Southern California during 2010 seems to support the contention that
there is a possible change in their population dynamics and seasonal site
preferences. The number of stranded marine mammal carcasses reported, specifically
their location and time of year, would seem to support this observation.
The Shark Research Committee will continue to closely monitor this activity.
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- Additional information regarding the Shark Research Committee's
conservation, education, and research programs is available at:
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- www.sharkresearchcommittee.com
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