The coastline, extending roughly
15 miles around the town, is a shark-attack hot spot.
There have been as many as 20 shark attacks
in a single year, which is a tremendous number
for such a small area.
NARRATOR: In fact, since records began,
this tiny region has seen a shocking total
of more than 220 shark attacks.
That means roughly one out of every 25 attacks
worldwide happens here, earning the area
A terrifying claim to fame.
New Smyrna Beach has been nicknamed the Shark
Attack Capital of the World.
NARRATOR: It’s a reputation no one in this tourist haven
wants.
People ask me every day, are there sharks out there?
We really can’t tell what the cause is
when people get bit out there.
A lot of people will not come here because of that.
NARRATOR: This problem must be solved
for the sake of beachgoers here and across the nation.
It’s really important to identify the factors that are
associated with the spike in shark attacks,
because we have a chance of using
that knowledge to keep beachgoers
safe throughout the world.
NARRATOR: So what makes New Smyrna so different?
Why are humans more likely to be bitten here than anywhere else
on Earth?
Perhaps a clue can be found within the species
responsible for Emma’s incident.
The vast majority of attacks worldwide are conducted by one
of three types of sharks–
bulls, tigers, or whites.
But based on the pattern of Emma’s wounds,
experts believe she might have been bitten by a blacktip.
Blacktip sharks are found in warm, coastal waters
across the globe.
They often feed in large schools and are
easily recognizable by the black-colored markings
on their fins.
And they grow up to 8 feet long, which
means they’re large enough to take down a human.
Dr. Stephen Kajiura has been studying
blacktips along Florida’s coast for almost a decade.
Each year, he takes to the skies to research this species,
taking part in one of the most awe-inspiring marine
phenomena in the world.
This footage shows what we’ve captured
by doing an aerial survey.
You can see all those little dots.
Every one of those is a shark.
Just in that narrow band, we’re seeing literally
tens of thousands of sharks.
NARRATOR: This is the blacktip migration, the largest shark
migration in the United States.
There are hundreds of thousands
of these blacktips making this migration
along the coast every year.
They come down to spend the winter
here in Florida, because the temperature is ideal for them.
NARRATOR: Many different types of sharks
migrate annually in search of food, warmer water, or a mate.
Most travel alone, or in small groups.
And they typically do so in deep waters.
But the potential problem for beachgoers
is that the hordes of blacktips prefer the shallows.
STEPHEN KAJIURA: These sharks hug the shoreline.
They might be doing that to stay away
from predators– baiter sharks.
So we have thousands of them so close
to shore, right along the beach where all the bathers are.
NARRATOR: Any time there is an influx
of sharks in an area, the chance of a run-in with humans
also increases.
So is the large number of attacks near New Smyrna simply
the result of this large number of blacktips inshore?
The answer comes down to timing.
The blacktips pass New Smyrna from September to November,
then again in March and April.
And only about half of the attacks on record
took place during those months.
So the migration may play a part in some of the incidents,
but it’s not the whole story.
