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Warmer waters keep blacktip sharks near Florida beaches longer
Blacktip sharks are spending more time along Florida's coastline as warmer ocean temperatures alter their migration patterns, according to researchers tracking the species
Sharks are like snowbirds. When the ocean temperature gets too cold up north, they travel down to Florida to spend the winter in the warm water. And knowing where these sharks have been – and where different species of sharks are going, could help make swimming along Florida's beaches safe.
Dr. Stephen Kajura, a professor at Florida Atlantic University, and his team are using drones, airplanes, and satellites to study the migration patterns of sharks.
"The [black tip shark] species is found right against the beach. So beach goers can be sitting on their beach chairs and see the shapes in the water. And it's no more than like 50 meters off the beach, that's the greatest concentration of these sharks. It's not like the way out there. And so, because these are the ones that are in close proximity to the surfers and the swimmers, that's ones we're interested in. That's the species that's most likely to have encounters with people," he said.
Are sharks changing their migration pattern?
Dr. Kajiura has tracked black-tip sharks for 15 years. His team carefully tags them with satellite transmitters to monitor their migration along the coast.
He said the tracking data lately has revealed a shift.
"What's interesting is, they are just like us. They like our air conditioned temperature. So our room temperature is 72 or so; hat's the perfect temperature for these black-tipped sharks," he said.
He said that has led to the sharks moving further north up the coast towards areas like New York.
"The other interesting thing to consider is now that these sharks are migrating farther north, there, these black tips are right along the beach in places like, uh Long Island, New York, right. And now people have historically never had to worry about sharks in the, in the water off Long Island. And so you've got beach goers, uh encountering sharks now that they never encountered like 10 years ago," he said.
Better mapping of migration patterns could be better intel for beach lifeguards, beach safety
By mapping the sharks' movements, the team can better inform lifeguards when the sharks are near.
"So the more we know about their movement, the better we're able to inform the beach goers and the lifeguards to provide this sort of public service, this sort of ‘warning system’ to say, ‘hey, the sharks are here now, watch out, or the beaches, the well north of you, your beach is effectively clear at this point,'" he said.
Be cautious, but enjoy Florida's beaches, oceans
Although sharks are consistently in the water off the east coast of Florida, Dr. Kajiura said that should not deter people from visiting, enjoying, or swimming at the beaches.
"Let's be cautious. Let's be careful. But, make sure you have fun," he said.
"The chances of you having a negative encounter with a shark are so minuscule. Don't let that diminish your ability to take advantage of the beautiful beaches we have here in Florida and really enjoy it," he said.
Shark incidents in Florida
The Florida Museum at the University of Florida has kept a website and database of confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in Florida since 1882.
According to its data – which spans 144 years -- most of those reported attacks have happened in Volusia (303), Brevard (147), and Palm Beach (76).
The Florida Museum said global shark bites returned to "near average" levels in 2025, following a "sharp reduction" in 2024.
"The number of unprovoked bites in the United States has decreased overall during the past five years, but it remains the region with the highest reported activity, accounting for 38% of incidents worldwide last year. This is also a marked decrease in the proportion of bites for the country. More than 50% of all bites took place in the United States each year since 2019," the report said.
In 2025, there were 11 bites in Florida, according to the Florida Museum, which is lower than the five-year average of 18 bites, the report said. More than half of those bites, according to the report, happened in Volusia County.
Behind Florida, the next states with the highest number of shark bites in 2025 were California (5), Hawaii (4), and South Carolina (2). There was 1 bite each reported in New York, North Carolina, and Texas.
Australia has the next highest number of shark bites, following the United States, the report said.
The Source: FOX 35's Laurel Blanchard talked with Dr. Stephen Kajura, a professor at Florida Atlantic University, about his research project and results. Additional reporting from the Florida Museum of Natural History and its 2025 summary and "Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks (1882-Present)" database.