“Shark week” has officially begun, with John Cena hosting the year’s most aquatic celebration.
The beloved show will provide hours of entertainment for shark-lovers this week. Viewers often celebrate the annual event with shark-themed parties, food and trips to the pool or the beach.
“Shark Week” is largely educational, giving audiences an opportunity to appreciate conservation efforts and correct misconceptions about these toothy giants.
But as you’re watching the screen for the bloody jaws of a Great White or the fins of a Hammerhead slicing through water, you might be reminded that these majestic and deadly creatures have a reputation, for better or for worse.
Already this year, there have been several reported shark attacks in Florida, California and Hawaii.
Whether you’re a shark fanatic or not, here are some of the craziest shark attacks that have made a splash in 2024.
Shark attacks in 2024
Most recently, two people in Texas were bitten by a shark on July 4 at South Padre Island. Local authorities told The Associated Press they believed a six-foot-long shark was responsible for the attacks.
One of the two victims was bitten severely. Two more beachgoers also encountered the shark, but did not receive serious injuries.
Also during the holiday week, two people were bitten by sharks at New Smyrna Beach in Florida, per USA Today. A 21-year-old individual was bitten in the foot while wading in knee-high water.
The next day, a 26-year-old man also received a bite to his foot while paddling in an inner-tube in only five feet of water. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment.
In June, Florida suffered three shark attacks. One man was bitten in East Florida, resulting in critical condition due to loss of blood. According to the BBC, local officials said they found the man on his boat with a severely bleeding arm.
A deputy applied a tourniquet to the limb and brought the man to shore, where he was then taken to the hospital.
Two previous shark attacks injured three swimmers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. One women received an arm amputation and suffered a critical injury to her hip.
Two teenage girls were also attacked, leaving one with non-life-threatening injuries to her feet and the other with serious injuries to her hand and leg.
USA Today reported additional shark attacks that have happened this year. Many of them occurred in June.
One 14-year-old boy was bitten in the leg in North Carolina late June. Emergency services were able to stabilize the teenager and repair his leg in the nearest trauma center.
Tamayo Perry, a lifeguard and actor in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” died of a shark attack in late June off the North Shore of Oahu.
In early June, a 25-year-old woman was also attacked by a shark in Oahu. Multiple injuries left her in serious condition and she was taken to a trauma hospital.
A man was hospitalized on June 2 for injuries to his torso and arm. He had been swimming off the shore of a beach north of California’s Torrey Pines State Park when he was bit. Though the injuries were significant, they were not life-threatening.
Another Oahu shark attack took place in March, when an 11-year-old girl reportedly received a bite to her left foot. In another attack just two days later, a shark bit off the tail of a surfboard in Waikīkī.
The International Shark Attack File confirmed 69 unprovoked shark bites and 22 provoked bites on humans, worldwide, in 2023. While the number was slightly higher than previous years, the ISAF explained that these fluctuations are expected.
The United States led the world in unprovoked shark bites, with Florida leading the U.S. in 16 cases — representing 44% of U.S. and 23% of worldwide unprovoked shark bites.
Shark week 2024
This year, Discovery’s annual show “Shark Week” will be hosted by John Cena, per Entertainment Weekly.
“I usually do Shark Week from my couch — with lots of snacks, but this year I’m beyond excited to host the week dedicated to the endlessly fascinating action heroes of the ocean,” said Cena in a release. “It’s a wild week of shocking new footage, new discoveries, and lots and lots of teeth.”
The 2024 season began Sunday evening and will run until Saturday, July 13. This year’s “Shark Week” will reportedly feature 21 hours of “shark-focused shows,” with titles such as “Great White Serial Killer: Sea of Blood,” “Monster Hammerheads: Species X,” “Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan” and “Expedition Unknown: Shark Wrecks of WWII.”
Viewers will be able to watch the show on Discovery, where they can also find the full schedule for the week, shark facts, podcast episodes and latest videos.