When Sharks Attack... And Why

New York City is a top vacation destination for the Fourth of July, but in the weeks surrounding the holiday in 2022, visitors to New York’s beaches witness a startling spate of shark attacks. In just three weeks, Long Island is the site of six incidents, two of which occur on the same day. Experts investigate what prompted this disconcerting spike in attacks.

The 400-mile coastline from Santa Cruz to Crescent City, California, is the site of seven shark attacks in 2020 and 2021 – including the region’s first fatality in sixteen years. This sudden spate of attacks leaving locals terrified and scientists hunting for answers. What’s behind this alarming spike in attacks?

Florida’s Treasure Coast is known for its idyllic beaches and sunken shipwrecks, but gold and silver aren’t the only things hiding beneath these waves. The area is also home to a wide variety of sharks; and while they don’t typically bother people, in 2021 something changes. Seven shark attacks leave locals fearing for their safety and experts rushing to investigate the cause behind this mysterious spike in attacks.

On Indonesia’s island of Bali, remote Balian Beach boasts black sand and idyllic sunsets. In 2010, the peace enjoyed by visitors and residents alike was suddenly shattered by a shocking shark attack – the first ever recorded along its coast. After six more attacks occur at the same beach, experts investigate what has changed at Balian. What makes this small stretch of black sand the most dangerous beach in all of Bali?

A frightening yearly phenomenon plagues the waters of Hawaii - every October, shark attacks here more than double. Residents and tourists alike are baffled by the annual uptick, which threatens the peaceful reputation of this tropical paradise. Investigators are on the case, exploring the island’s volcanic geography, exotic marine life, and human influence. What’s behind the mysterious occurrence, dubbed “Sharktober?”

Throughout the past decade in New South Wales, Australia, there have been 8 attacks by the mysterious wobbegong shark - more than double the number of attacks in the previous decade. This strange increase means that in this area, the wobbegong shark is second only to the great white in terms of number of attacks. Why has this once-docile predator turned menacing?