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  "path": "/2026/02/18/map-shows-likely-bitten-a-shark-holiday-26968523/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-18T14:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "News",
    "World",
    "Death",
    "Sharks",
    "shark",
    "Florida",
    "strike",
    "Australia",
    "attacked by a white shark while open swimming in California",
    "US",
    "the white shark",
    "Wales",
    "after a shark mauled his legs in Sydney Harbour",
    "Florida Program for Shark Research",
    "@metrouk",
    "sydney",
    "australia",
    "♬ Last Hope (Over Slowed + Reverb) – Steve Ralph",
    "Tel Aviv",
    "carrying a GoPro to film the apex predators",
    "off the coast of the Canary Island",
    "International Shark Attack File",
    "**check our news page**",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "There were shark attacks at some British holiday hotspots (Picture: Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)\n\nThe number of shark attacks across the globe soared last year, a new report shows.\n\nBeachgoers and tourists were mauled 105 times in 2025, up from 88 the year before, according to the International Shark Attack File.\n\nThe data – from the Florida Museum of Natural History – reveals the hotspots where the apex predators are most likely to strike, which includes some British holiday favourites like Fuerteventura.\n\nThe report warned that shark attacks shot up in Australia, where there were also five fatal bites in their waters.\n\nOverall, there the number of deadly shark assaults more than doubled from four in 2024 to nine in 2025.\n\nAmong them was a 55-year-old triathlete who was attacked by a white shark while open swimming in California, United States, in December.\n\nThat was the only fatality in the US despite the North American country being home to the most recorded shark bite cases, at 25.\n\nFlorida was home to the most attacks last year, at 11, after a spate of maulings on the east coast in June.\n\nOne 9-year-old girl in Boca Grande, Florida, was snorkeling when she was bitten by a shark, severing her hand.\n\nAustralia saw a huge jump in shark bites, from 13 to 25, and was home to the majority of shark-related deaths.\n\nA reason for this is because the country’s coasts are home to the so-called ‘big three’ species responsible for most serious bites: the white shark, tiger shark and bull shark.\n\nOne bull shark attacked a Swiss couple in their 20s in November while they were swimming and filming dolphins in New South Wales.\n\nThe man survived after being flown to a local hospital, but the woman died before paramedics could reach the scene.\n\nSwimming and surfing were the most high-risk activities (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n##  Which activities are most associated with shark bites?\n\n  1. Swimming/wading – 46%\n  2. Surfing/board sports – 32%\n  3. Snorkeling/freediving – 15%\n  4. Other – 6%\n\n\n\nThe new year already witnessed a 12-year-old boy die after a shark mauled his legs in Sydney Harbour.\n\nGavin 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.\n\n‘Their beach safety is second to none. Within minutes of a bite, they’ve got helicopters airborne ready to respond.’\n\n> @metrouk\n>\n> Nico Antic, the 12-year-old boy who was mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour, has died in hospital. Nico suffered serious injuries to both of his legs, and was only able to survive after the other children bravely dragged him out of the water and onto some nearby rocks. Beaches across Sydney were closed to protect the public until weather improved, but many of which have since reopened for the Australia Day public holiday long weekend. #sydney #australia\n>\n> ♬ Last Hope (Over Slowed + Reverb) – Steve Ralph\n\n## Provoked shark attacks – what are they?\n\nThe majority – 65 – of last year’s shark attacks were defined as ‘unprovoked’.\n\nMost of the rest were provoked attacks, when the victim interacted with the shark, such as trying to touch or feed them.\n\nOne of these involved a 40-year-old man snorkeling off the coast of Tel Aviv in April, carrying a GoPro to film the apex predators.\n\nA dusky shark likely bit the snorkeller as it investigated the camera, which let blood into the water and triggered a ‘feeding frenzy’.\n\nDespite the fact dusky sharks are not known to bite humans, 2025 also saw the first confirmed fatality from the speices.\n\nA free driver looking for crayfish in South Africa died after being bitten in South Africa.\n\n##  Where were there shark attacks in 2025?\n\nShark attacks have shot up in Australia, where five people died (Picture: EPA)\n\n  1. USA – 25 (one fatal)\n  2. Australia – 21 (five fatal)\n  3. Bahamas – 5\n  4. New Zealand – 3\n  5. New Caledonia – 1\n  6. Canary Islands (Spain) – 1\n  7. Vanuatu – 1 (fatal)\n  8. Samoa – 1\n  9. South Africa – 1 (fatal)\n  10. Maldives – 1\n  11. Puerto Rico (U.S.) – 1\n  12. Canada – 1\n  13. Marshall Islands – 1\n  14. Mozambique – 1 (fatal)\n  15. Jamaica – 1\n\n\n\nBritish tourists are also among the victims of the rise in shark maulings.\n\nA British surfer was riding his hydrofoil surfboard off the coast of the Canary Island when a shark bit his leg.\n\nWith a deep wound in his thigh, the man managed to get back to shore and receive medical attention.\n\nThe Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File was established in 1958 and includes records dating back to the 1500s.\n\nDespite the rise in cases last year, the number of unprovoked attacks were slightly less than the 10-year-average of 72.\n\nThe number of fatalities – nine – was above the 10-year-average of six.\n\nThe report adds: ‘The total number of unprovoked shark bites worldwide remains extremely low.’\n\n******Get in touch with our news team by emailing us atwebnews@metro.co.uk.******\n\n**For more stories like this,****check our news page**.\n\nComment now Comments  Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source ",
  "title": "Map shows where you’re most likely to be bitten by a shark on holiday"
}