World’s shark attack hotspots revealed: As a great white is spotted in the Mediterranean,
The world’s shark attack hotspots have been revealed, after a great white shark was spotted in the Mediterranean Sea.
The enormous predator was recorded between Sicily and Tunisia, in what is believed to be the first ever footage captured of an adult great white in the area.
If you’re visiting the Mediterranean this sumer, the sighting might have sparked concerns.
Thankfully, scientists have reassured that there’s no need to worry.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Lauren Smith, a shark expert at Saltwater Life, said: ‘This shark was filmed far from coastal beach resorts, and there is no reason for the public to be alarmed. The ocean is their domain, and encounters like this should inspire respect and appreciation rather than fear.’
However, if your holiday is planned for Florida, you might want to be wary of entering the water.
Florida is the shark attack capital of the world, with a total of 11 encounters in 2025 –representing 17 per cent of all unprovoked bites worldwide.
Over half of those bites occurred in Volusia County in east–central Florida.
The world’s shark attack hotspots have been revealed, after a great white shark was spotted in the Mediterranean Sea
The International Shark Files records attacks around the world, including records dating back as far as the 1500s.
However, the database only publishes data on ‘unprovoked attacks’, meaning a person did not initiate contact with a shark intentionally or unintentionally.
That rules out any activities that change the shark’s behaviour, such as spear fishing or releasing a shark from a hook or net.
Last year was an unusually deadly year for shark attacks, according to the latest report.
While there were 65 shark attacks recorded last year – slightly below the 10–year average of 72 – nine proved fatal, compared to an average of just six.
The US was the worst country for shark attacks, with 25 bites, accounting for 38 per cent of the global total.
Australia also had one of its worst years for shark bites in recent history, recording 21 bites compared to the five–year average of just 13.
In addition, Australia had the most fatal attacks, accounting for 56 per cent of all deaths.
Shark attacks in Australia tend to be more dangerous because the country is home to the so–called big three: Bull sharks, tiger sharks, and white sharks.
White sharks, colloquially known as great whites, can grow up to 20 feet (six metres) long and have powerful jaws packed with serrated teeth.
Their sheer power and size mean that even a small ‘exploratory’ bite from a white shark can prove deadly.
Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, said: ‘If these bites occurred anywhere other than Australia, they would probably have resulted in even more fatalities.
‘Their beach safety is second to none. Within minutes of a bite, they’ve got helicopters airborne ready to respond.’
However, the remote locations of some Australian beaches mean that such a timely response is not always possible.
In an early morning incident in November, a Swiss couple in their 20s was attacked by a bull shark while swimming and filming dolphins.
A quick–acting bystander applied a makeshift tourniquet and the man survived after being flown to a local hospital, but the woman died before paramedics could reach the scene.
Australia had more fatal shark attacks last year than any other country. On February 5, 2025, Charlize Zmuda (left) was killed after she was attacked by a shark at Bribie Island in Queensland
Elsewhere in the world, shark attack levels have remained around average, with the exception of a few notable incidents.
An unprovoked attack in Canada marked the country’s first since 2021, during which a paddleboarder escaped uninjured after a white shark took a bite out of his board.
Last year also saw the first unprovoked fatality from a dusky shark bite.
The incident occurred in South Africa during the annual sardine run, in which a massive population of bait fish migrate along the eastern coast.
The migration is a feast for predators, including dusky sharks, and a free diver in the area was fatally bitten by a shark that had been lured close to shore.
While snorkelling and free diving accounted for 15 per cent of injuries, 46 per cent occurred while the person was swimming or wading.
Surfers also made up a large number of victims, accounting for 32 per cent of all unprovoked attacks.
In one incident off the coast of the Canary Islands, a shark attacked a British surfer’s hydrofoil surfboard before biting his leg.
The International Shark Attack File’s yearly report has found that there were 65 shark attacks in 2025, just below the 20–year average of 71
Despite a deep wound in his thigh, the man was able to swim back to shore to receive medical attention.
However, the relatively consistent number of bites per year over the last few decades is actually something of a mystery.
The 10, 20 and 30–year averages for unprovoked bites only differ by four incidents per year, and the number of fatalities has remained unchanged at six.
At the same time, global shark populations have plummeted well below historical levels due to overfishing and climate change.
Mr Naylor says: ‘Out of the 1,200 species, 30 per cent of them are categorised as endangered.
‘That’s a lot, especially because these animals have managed to persist for about 330 million years.’
Experts also stress that the risk of being bitten by a shark remains exceptionally low.
While nine people were killed by sharks, lightning strikes are estimated to cause around 24,000 deaths every year and 10 times as many injuries.