One Of Hawaii's Most Popular Islands Also Has The Most Shark Attacks
By C. Gordon
VACATIONS
Even if they're rare, a shark attack is always at the back of a beachgoer's mind. It may be more relevant in Maui, where there are more attacks than anywhere else in Hawaii.
Since 1828, the island has been home to 73 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks, with Oahu coming in at a distant second of 42. A team of researchers set out to determine why.
In "Maui Shark Mystery," researchers found that while "[t]iger sharks across Hawaii stick to their home islands most of the year ... during the winter, they converge on Maui."
This behavior is likely due to the males attempting to mate, among other reasons. The attacks happen because Maui's desirable habitat for tiger sharks is also desirable for people.
Attacks are still very rare. Shark expert Kim Holland mentioned he's actually surprised at how few attacks Hawaii sees, considering the number of sharks and people there are.