Good Recession News: Shark Attacks Down

Ronald Bailey | February 24, 2009

In the category that every dark cloud does sport a silver lining, sort of, Reuters is reporting the good news that shark attacks are way down this year. The bad news is that is because fewer people can afford to take beach vacations.

Shark attacks on humans dropped worldwide in 2008 to their lowest level in five years, apparently because the recession has curtailed seaside vacations, University of Florida researchers who compile the annual tally said on Thursday.

They confirmed 59 shark attacks on humans in 2008, down from 71 the previous year and the fewest since 2003.

"I can't help but think that contributing to that reduction may have been the reticence of some people to take holidays and go to the beach for economic reasons," said George Burgess, who directs the International Shark Attack File at the university.

"We noticed similar declines during the recession that followed the events of 2001, despite the fact that human populations continued to rise," he said in a reference to the Sept. 11 attacks.

The report notes that only four of the attacks last year were fatal and that sharks snack most often on surfers. 

Whole story here. 

Comments

|2.24.09 @ 1:26PM|#

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

Jeff P|2.24.09 @ 1:35PM|#

1: How will republicans take credit for this?
2: Do these numbers reflect Land Shark attacks?

|2.24.09 @ 1:37PM|#

CANDYGRAM

|2.24.09 @ 1:42PM|#

Sharks have moved on. It's time that humans do as well.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 1:58PM|#

Pro Lib you fool!!! They are simply reorganizing for the next assault!

Shark|2.24.09 @ 1:59PM|#

OM NOM NOM

All the fish in the sea|2.24.09 @ 2:01PM|#

You fuckers! You need to get your gangly, flailing asses in the water and take some of the heat off! We're getting eaten alive here!

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:04PM|#

You mean sea kittens right? AAAWWWWWWW!!! Sea . . . KITTENS!!!

.|2.24.09 @ 2:04PM|#

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/saturday-night-live-season-1-land-shark/1415496980

Warty|2.24.09 @ 2:05PM|#

Bullshit. The fact is that shark numbers are way down because of their losses in the war against underwater zombies.

Internet Shark|2.24.09 @ 2:06PM|#

SUCK MY DIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!

|10.7.09 @ 4:17PM|#

how big is it

|2.24.09 @ 2:09PM|#

I'm confused. The article says most shark attacks are on surfers. Surfers don't surf because the economy is good. Surfers surf because the waves are good.

Surfers don't need a job or an income to surf. The board is really handy to have, but I don't think the lack of one would stop them.

Of course, if this is true, then sharks will have to be laid off, and the cycle will continue. Do they get anything from the stimobamulus?

|2.24.09 @ 2:11PM|#

The fact is that shark numbers are way down because of their losses in the war against underwater zombies.

It was the underwater zombie surge that turned the tide.

|2.24.09 @ 2:13PM|#

Zombie don't surf!

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:14PM|#

Maybe it has something to do with people being to afraid to do stupid shit. Like the guy in Florida who was fishing in water up to his chest and was keeping his catch pinned on his suit.

Nahhhhhhh. Dissident zombie sharks is way better!

|2.24.09 @ 2:18PM|#

Are underwater zombies fast zombies or slow zombies? The evidence points to kinda slow.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 2:28PM|#

Aqua zombies? (shivers)

Franklin Harris|2.24.09 @ 3:04PM|#

Warty wins the thread for his totally unexpected and out-of-context Lucio Fulci reference.

For those of you who have not seen it, I give you: A zombie fighting a shark.

|2.24.09 @ 3:20PM|#

It's Aqua Man. He's called off the sharks.

|2.24.09 @ 3:20PM|#

Pardon me, I meant Aquaman. And people think his powers are useless.

Jeff P|2.24.09 @ 3:35PM|#

Zombies are indistinguishable from chum.

|2.24.09 @ 3:38PM|#

Jeff P,

I think you mean that vomit is indistinguishable from chum. Zombies aren't all that chum-like, especially since sharks unilaterally declared peace on mankind.

Naga Sadow|2.24.09 @ 3:43PM|#

Pro Lib,

I'm supposed to give thanks to Aquaman? I don't trust any man who rides around on dolphins like water skiis.

|2.24.09 @ 3:46PM|#

Q: What do you call a leper in a hot tub?

A: Stew.

|2.24.09 @ 3:47PM|#

Naga,

Why? What do you care about dolphins? Besides, your analogy is inapt. They're more like twin jet-skis.

Mokers|2.24.09 @ 4:30PM|#

I thought for sure they would blame the drop on global warming, er, climate change. The real question is what happened to the polar bears.

|2.24.09 @ 4:32PM|#

The real question is what happened to the polar bears.

The real answer is sharks.

amy|3.4.09 @ 5:41PM|#

sharks are awsome