Shark attacks returned to near-average levels in 2025 after a dip the previous year, according to the latest report from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File, published Wednesday. Researchers recorded 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide last year, slightly below the 10-year average of 72, but an increase from 2024. But California stood out in another way: It had the nation’s only unprovoked fatal shark attack in 2025. It was the sole U.S. fatality among 25 reported shark bites nationwide. “In California, you tend to have year-to-year fewer attacks than other places in the U.S. and in the world,” Midway said.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 19, 2026 17:01 UTC