Shark Attack Capital of the World | SharkFest

[music playing] 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 phenomenons 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 waters, 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.