The number of shark attacks has been increasing, and summer 2023 has seemingly brought a string of them that have beachgoers rightfully on edge.
In early September, two people were bitten by sharks at Ponce Inlet, a Florida beach. Thankfully, the two only sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. According to WFLA News, a surfer in his 30s "was bitten on his left hand while surfing near the Ponce Inlet Jetty." The other victim, a 37-year-old woman who was standing in waist-deep water, was bitten on her right foot.
The surfer reportedly refused medical care at the beach and instead drove himself to the hospital. "His injuries were described as non-life threatening."
The woman was treated on the beach and was then taken to hospital. According to the news outlet, she "was treated by paramedics at the beach before she was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries."
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Ponce Inlet, which is in Volusia County, is known to be a hotspot for shark attacks. Apparently, bull sharks are the most common species to attack in Florida waters, followed up by blacktips, sandbars, and tigers.
In July, two surfers were attacked in one weekend at New Smyrna Beach, also in Volusia County. The International Shark Attack File, which is the world's only scientifically documented database of all known shark attacks, dubbed the county "the shark bite capital of the world."
According to the database, since 1882 Volusia County has had 343 unprovoked shark attacks. That is more than double of Florida's Brevard County, which had 156, and Palm Beach County which had 82.
Officials have warned beachgoers to stay alert and vigilant following the attacks. Swimmers have been advised to avoid swimming during dawn or dusk, since that's when many sharks are actively feeding.
In 2022, Volusia County documented seven shark bites. The previous year, in 2021, there were 16 reported shark bites.
Volusia County Beach Safety Captain A.J. Miller called the area a "breeding ground" for sharks. “There’s a large nursery down in the inlet."
