The United States has more shark attacks than any other place in the world, and new encounters are sure to occur as millions of Americans return to the shores beginning this weekend.
Sharks burst onto the nation's front page last summer when 9-year ols Jessie Arbogast of Ocean Springs, Miss., had an arm bitten off near Pensicola; his uncle then grabbed the attacking shark and
wrestled it to shore.
Shark attacks have been increasing in recent years as more vacationers take to the ocean, experts say. Of the 2,110 unprovoked shark attacks reported worldwide over the years, 854 have taken place in the United States,
according to the International Shark Attack File maintained by George H. Burgess of the Florida Musuem of Natural History in Gainsville.
Despite all the headlines in 2001, shark attacks were actually down from the previous year. There were 76 unprevoked attacks around the world, compared with 85 in the year 2000.
Shark attacks in waters off the United States increased by one to 55. Florida, which leads the nation, had 37, one fewer than in 2000.
Florida has recorded more than half the shark attacks in this country, 474 out of 854, Burgess reported. California is second with 111, followed by Hawaii with 100.
Burgess attributed this to the large number of people swimming and surfing in these states.
