National geographic wild

When Sharks Attack

National geographic wild

When Sharks Attack

©National Geographic

Synopsis

Shark attacks seem to be on the rise! But why? Scientists investigate shark encounters, uncovering the cause of the alarming spikes.

Episodes

Season 8

Season 8
Season 7
Season 6
Season 5
Season 4
Season 3
Season 2
Season 1
Extra

Carnage in California
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Los Angeles is shocked by four shark attacks in just four months. Experts search for clues to understand if there might be more shark attacks again.
Hawaiian Night Fright
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Experts search for clues to explain a spike of three bizarre and bloody shark encounters that occurred in Hawaii's Molokai Channel in 2019.
Space Coast Scare
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Ten shark attacks leave swimmers and surfers reeling off Florida’s Space Coast in 2003. Investigators race to uncover the cause before it’s too late.
Twice Bitten
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Two unlucky ocean lovers defy the odds when each of them are attacked twice by sharks. Experts look for clues to connect the rare attacks.
Gulf Fear
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Gulf Shores, Alabama is an idyllic beach town and fishing haven, but this slice of paradise has a dark side: a history of shocking shark attacks.
Paradise in Peril
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The Abaco Islands in the Bahamas are a remote island escape, known as the boating capitol of the world. But in 2018, tranquility turned to terror with three shark attacks strike in just thirty-nine days. Islanders and visitors wonder why. Shark experts follow the clues to uncover the cause of the shocking spike in attacks in this vacation paradise.

Terror In The Texas
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Every year, Galveston Island in south Texas greets upwards of 5M visitors to its beaches. In 2004, the fishing, surfing and beach play were shattered when three locals were attacked by sharks just weeks apart. Shark attacks are rare off Texas beaches, so locals want answers. Experts examine what might have happened. Are the changes permanent? And will Galveston beaches ever be safe again?
Mayhem In Miami
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In 2017, a spate of shark bites rock Southeast Florida. Scientists try to determine the cause of this rare increase of attacks.
Predators In Paradise
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In 2016, sharks descend on Maui, turning paradise into chaos. 7 attacks in 11 months. Human-shark contact is usually rare, so why now?
Chaos In California
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In 2009, a mysterious increase in shark bites around San Diego leave locals stunned and scientists searching for answers.
North Florida Frenzy
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Jacksonville, Florida’s amazing beaches are the best-kept secret in the South. But this peaceful paradise was rocked in 2015 and 2016 when twelve shark attacks defied the odds and left locals searching for answers. From surfers to swimmers, experts re-visit the circumstances of these attacks and search for answers.
Devastation Down Under
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In 2009, fear grips Australia when sharks terrorize the coastal community of New South Wales. 17 attacks over the course of the year - more than four times the annual average. Interactions with sharks here are usually rare, leaving experts searching for answers and what they discover could impact beach-goers around the globe.

Four Strike Summer
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The North Carolina coastline is one the country's most popular tourist destinations, thanks to its warm waters and powder white sands. But during 2019 the state's beaches are rocked by a terrifying series of events - four shark attacks in less than two months. The incidents leave locals and vacationers in shock, with many people wondering if its safe to go into the water. Desperate to restore harmony to this vacation paradise, experts hunt for clues that could reveal the cause of these tragic events.
10 Minutes of Terror
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Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a wildly popular tourist destination for millions of Americans. But few of them realize they're sharing these sandy shores with an unwelcomed guest: sharks. June 14th, 2012 is a day few beachgoers will ever forget. In the span of just 10 minutes, 4 swimmers fall prey to shark bites. The rare spike leaves residents on edge and scientists baffled. A team of investigators try to uncover the truth behind these mysterious attacks.
Red Terror
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In December 2010 sharks turn the tropic resort of Sharm El Sheikh Egypt into a predator's killing zone. 5 attacks in less than a week and 1 of them is fatal. Attacks are virtually unheard of here, leaving experts baffled. What ensues is one of the most intriguing oceanic mysteries of all time. From accusations of foreign powers sending killer robot sharks to attack tourists to bizarre sighting of dead sheep washing up on shore - no stone is left un-turned. And yet the answer is more chilling than anymore could have imagined.
Cape Terror
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South Africa's magnificent Western Cape, famed for its wide sandy beaches, sunny climate and powerful surf. But in the last decade alone there have been twenty-seven shark attacks, including eleven fatalities and two amputations. And the numbers keep growing. Why is South Africa's Western Cape so deadly?
Carolina Dread
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Strings of shark attacks in North and South Carolina threaten beachgoers as well as the tourist-driven way of life for coastal communities. The mystery behind the attacks must be solved, but the problem may be more dire than anyone could have guessed.
Tropical Terror
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The Big Island of Hawaii is one the country's most popular tourist destinations, thanks to its turquoise waters and warm, inviting sands. But between 2013 and 2015, the island's beaches are rocked by a terrifying series of events - nine brutal shark attacks. The harrowing incidents leave locals and vacationers in shock, with many people wondering if its safe to go into the water. Desperate to restore harmony to this peaceful tropical isle, experts hunt for clues that could reveal the cause of this horrific spike.
Most Shocking Spikes
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The most shocking strings of shark attacks ever recorded may help experts prevent future attacks. The Jersey Shore 1916 attacks inspired the most infamous shark story in history, Jaws, but the real-life tale is even more terrifying. A string of attacks in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt leaves experts dumbfounded, but all is not what is seems. And history may be repeating itself with a double-shark attack in New York.
Blood In The Water
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The Bahamas welcomes tourists from all over the world. They come to see beautiful coral, explore the exotic marine life, and enjoy its peaceful waters. But in the summer of 2019, the island nation is rocked by chaos. Three beachgoers are attacked by sharks. One of the attacks is fatal. Locals and vacationers alike are left reeling - and the country's $1 billion tourism industry is suddenly in peril. So why did the beaches of the Bahamas become so deadly? And will they ever be safe?

Terror In Gulf
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The waters of the Gulf are home to a range of shark species which isn't usually a problem for humans. But in 2010 and 2011, something changes.
The Shark Bite State
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A small stretch of Florida's coastline has the unfavorable title of "the shark attack capital of the world." Experts investigate various potential causes of the high number of attacks.
Honeymoon Hell
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The Seychelles is best known as an idyllic escape for honeymooners, but in 2011 the archipelago is rocked by two deadly shark attacks in two weeks.
Double Shark Attack
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Twenty-three horrifying attacks, including nine fatalities, make Reunion one of the world's deadliest islands. Experts from around the world are brought-in to find a cause.
Jersey Gore
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On the Jersey Shore, during the summer of 1916, America's fear of sharks was born. Investigators believe they must solve the greatest shark attack mystery of all time before history repeats itself.
Trouble In Socal
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From 2014-2015, Southern California is the site of an alarming spike of twelve shark attacks. Shark experts attempt to figure-out what is behind this uptick in attacks.
Bedlam In Brazil
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The roughly 25-mile stretch of shore surrounding Recife, Brazil, is one of the most dangerous places for shark attacks, on the planet. Investigators are on the case to uncover why.
Australia's Deadliest Coast
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Everyone knows the infamous Great White shark prowls the WA coastline, but after centuries of living in harmony, in 2010 the number of attacks sky-rocketed.
Fear On Fire Island
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In the summer of 2018, New York is under attack. The coastline of Fire Island is the summer retreat for city-dwellers and a prime tourist destination for people from across the USA. But on one fateful day, two children are attacked by sharks, within an hour. They are the first victims of a shark attack in New York state in more than 60 years. Investigators are racing to discover - what's caused these terrifying attacks?
Nightmare On The Cape
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In the summers of 2017 and 2018, three beachgoers are attacked by sharks off the shores of Cape Cod, including the first shark fatality in Massachusetts in more than eighty years. Experts scramble to get to the bottom of this terrifying spike.

World's Deadliest Beach
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A series of ten shark attacks in just eight years leaves the remote town of Port St. Johns, South Africa, reeling.
World's Deadliest Beach
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A series of ten shark attacks in just eight years leaves the remote town of Port St. Johns, South Africa, reeling.
Terror Down Under
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In 2015, the northern coast of New South Wales, Australia, is under siege. The local community is left panicked as tourism declines.
Surfers Under Siege
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In 2006, the northern coast of Oregon is under attack. The surfing community and locals are concerned by this unnerving turn of events.
Hawaiian Shockwave
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Almost 6 million US tourists visited Hawaii last year, specially Oahu. In 2015 this paradise is stunned by 3 shark attacks in just under 3 weeks.
Mayhem In Mexico
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Cancun is a tourist mecca but, between 2011 and 2013, it has six shark attacks. Investigators race for answers.
The San Francisco Slayer
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A team of investigators take a closer look at what could be the cause of mysterious and terrifying shark attacks in the north coast of San Francisco.

Cape Jaws
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Cape Cod's pristine beaches and dramatic coastline have made it a national tourist destination. For centuries, sharks were known to roam its healthy waters, however sightings were rare and attacks were almost unheard of. But in 2012 all that changed. Vacationer Chris Myers and his teenage son JJ are bodysurfing off a crowded beach in Truro, when disaster strikes. News of the attack sends shockwaves through the community, as people fear the incident will harm the tourism industry, which they survive on. There has not been a shark attack here in nearly 80 years, but between 2012 and 2015 four people fall victim to terrifying shark encounters. Shark...
Nightmare Island
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The island nation of The Bahamas stretches 10,000 square miles into the Atlantic Ocean and draws nearly 6 million American tourists to its beaches every year. Despite an abundance of sharks, attacks were uncommon. But in 2002 encounters tripled and 36 people are left maimed or dead. In 2015, unaware of the vicious threat in the water, vacationers Britt Martin and his wife Lacy go snorkeling to admire the marine life. Lacy is busy filming her underwater adventure when she feels a savage pair of jaws begin to devour her from behind. Why have sharks suddenly begun to hunt humans here? Shark experts Dr. Sam Gruber and George Burgess examine the unique...
Carolina Chaos
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The Carolina Coast boasts 500 miles of safe sandy beaches, making it a premiere tourist destination. In 2015 this family vacation hotspot, becomes a shark attack hell. On June 11th, Corey Newsome brings her four children to Ocean Isle beach, NC, including 13 year old daughter Makena who was the second victim of 2015. But she's not the las, people are savaged almost daily until a record 16 people have become victims. The local community is in crisis as beaches empty and vacation reservations dwindle. Shark experts Dr. Dan Huber and Dr. Dan Abel look at the evidence behind this mysterious catastrophe to understand why here and why now…

Hawaiian Terror
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From 2012 to 2013, the tourist hotpot of Maui, Hawaii, is rocked by an unprecedented 16 shark attacks in under two years, nearly 3 times more than average. As the attacks mount and evidence piles up, it soon becomes clear that the cause for the spike may have been hiding in plain sight all along.
In Shallow Water
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Tourists flock to the beaches of North Carolina and Virginia for their safe calm waters and the wild rugged scenery. But beneath the still serenity of this Atlantic coastline a dark danger is lurking. There have been 2 spikes in shark attacks a decade apart. They come out of nowhere, and then disappear as quickly as they came - leaving a bloody massacre in their wake. Will they be back? Why do these seemingly calm waters suddenly turn into bloody shark frenzies?
Gulf Coast Killers
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With over 49 species of shark swimming up and down the Gulf of Mexico it’s not uncommon for locals and tourists to spot one swimming nearby. Normally they stay away from humans, but since 2005 everything has changed. The number of attacks along the Gulf Coast more than quadrupled. With this unprecedented number of incidents people are left wondering what has caused more sharks to attack, has something changed in the once calm waters of the Gulf and if so, what is it?

Florida Frenzy
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In spring 2012 beachgoers along Florida's Mid-Atlantic coast are under attack by what some believe to be a rogue shark. In just 24 hours, three people are savaged while surfing just off shore. Authorities try to stem the blood shed by closing beaches, but only weeks later the attacks continue and each is more severe than the lasts
When Sharks Attack: Tourist Traps, 1
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Millions of people flock to beaches each year for a vacation in paradise? but for some unlucky tourists, a little R&R may cost them their lives. In top tourist destinations, sharks are unleashing a reign of terror. Will scientists get to the bottom of these attacks, before it's too late?
When Sharks Attack: Escaping Jaws, 1
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True and terrifying accounts by people who looked JAWS in the eye and lived to tell the tale.
California Killer
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The densely populated coastline of Southern California has suddenly come under attack by nature's largest and most ferocious predator. The water-loving populace between Los Angeles and San Diego has never had to fear sharks in the past, making the sudden onslaught of attacks all the more terrifying.
Panic In Paradise
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In April of 2008, the popular tourist destination of Zihuatanejo Mexico is transformed from a safe haven of crystal clear water into one of the most dangerous beaches in the world

When Sharks Attack: Tourist Traps, 1
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Millions of people flock to beaches each year for a vacation in paradise? but for some unlucky tourists, a little R&R may cost them their lives. In top tourist destinations, sharks are unleashing a reign of terror. Will scientists get to the bottom of these attacks, before it's too late?
When Sharks Attack: Escaping Jaws, 1
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True and terrifying accounts by people who looked JAWS in the eye and lived to tell the tale.
Gulf Coast Reckoning
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Sharks attacks are causing panic along the Gulf. Harrowing incidents in Florida and Texas leave experts scrambling for answers.
Trouble In Paradise
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The Bahamas is a dream vacation destination. But for some, the dream quickly becomes a nightmare. A string of shark attacks terrifies beachgoers and concerns experts. Investigators must find the cause, to save lives and help the tourist-dependent community.
Tiger Shark Terror
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In Hawaii, a string of tiger shark attacks has the community on high alert. Experts must find the reason why tiger sharks are biting humans, before the next devastating encounter.