\n Published on
\n 03\/02\/2026 – 7:00 GMT+1\n <\/p>\n
Shark bites dominated headlines earlier this year after four unprovoked attacks were recorded within just 48 hours along Australia\u2019s east coast.<\/p>\n
The series of disturbing incidents saw a 12-year-old boy rushed to hospital with critical injuries after swimming in Sydney Harbour on 18 January. He later died from the attack.<\/p>\n
The next day, an 11-year-old had their surfboard destroyed by a shark<\/strong><\/a> at Dee Why Beach. Hours later, a man was attacked in the nearby suburb of Manly. On 20 January, a surfer \u201csustained a wound to his chest\u201d after a shark struck around 300 km up the coast.<\/p>\n It has led to growing calls for shark culls and paved the way for persistent myths about the predators to come back into the limelight. However, one scientist is urging the public to look beyond the sensational headlines and focus on how our warming planet is impacting the species in our oceans.<\/p>\n How climate change is influencing shark attacks<\/p>\n Dr Nicholas Ray is a researcher in great white shark population dynamics at the UK\u2019s Nottingham Trent University. In a recent blog<\/strong><\/a> post, he argues that the media often reports all shark incidents into a \u201csingle narrative of danger\u201d despite the fact that Australia has more than 180 shark species. Each one has different behaviours and habitats.<\/p>\n Analyses of shark bite data from the recent spate of attacks found that many of the incidents occurred close to the shore, particularly near estuaries and around Sydney Harbour after heavy rainfall.<\/p>\n For every 1\u2103 rise in air temperature, the atmosphere can hold around seven per cent more moisture, which can lead to more intense and heavy rainfall<\/strong><\/a>. This can increase the likelihood of flooding, which can impact the salinity, temperature and visibility in coastal ecosystems. <\/p>\n Bull sharks, which were the species involved in last month\u2019s string of attacks, are attracted to flooded systems because their prey are displaced. <\/p>\n Urban runoff, altered river systems, sewage overflows and fishing activity all influence where prey species aggregate \u2013 which makes swimming or surfing near river mouths following floods a \u201chigh-risk activity\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNutrient-rich runoff can draw baitfish into new areas and the bull sharks follow,\u201d Dr Ray says. <\/p>\n \u201cResearch conducted in eastern Australia has documented bull sharks spending extended periods in places such as Sydney Harbour during warmer months, coinciding with rising water temperatures and increased freshwater inflow.\u201d<\/p>\n Do sharks intentionally hunt humans?<\/p>\n