The World’s Deadliest

The good news is the chance of being killed by a shark is low, extremely low. 1 in 3.75 million, worldwide!* Being struck by lightning is 242 times more likely to happen in your lifetime.

But, let’s say you so happened to be attacked by a shark. What kind of shark would it be, and what are your chances of survival?

When it comes to shark attacks, there are three species mainly responsible: the Great White, Tiger, and Bull shark. In the event you find yourself in the jaws of one of these fearsome creatures, your chance of dying is 6.9%**.

Again, the odds are slim, but I hope you are never in such a scary and dangerous situation. One can take preventive and precautious measures to reduce the chances of a shark attack. Read: https://the-worlds-deadliest.com/2020/04/15/how-to-prevent-a-shark-attack-minimizing-risk/

*Remember, this ratio reflects the likelihood of death from a shark, not the likelihood of an attack, which is greater. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the attack ratio at this time.

**Due to advancements in technology, the number of reported shark attacks and human fatalities has become more accurate. Therefore, I averaged the fatality rate of shark attacks from 2000 – 2020. In the early 1900s, the fatality rate was significantly higher. However, recording data was more difficult, and I believe a fatal shark attack would have been more likely to be recorded than a non-fatal attack. Thus, inaccurately increasing the fatality rate.

Sources of information:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/odds/compare-risk/death/

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/trends/fatalities/

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/factors/species-implicated/

https://www.erieinsurance.com/blog/struck-by-lightning