Brazil, a country renowned for its breathtaking beaches and vibrant coastal tourism, has recently seen a surge in shark encounters. Our page provides up-to-date details on shark attacks in Brazil, updated weekly to ensure you stay informed. As locals and tourists flock to the ocean’s embrace, understanding these incidents is crucial. It offers insights into both the marvel and caution required when humans interact with these majestic sea creatures. Stay with us to remain updated and safe during your seaside adventures.
Recent Shark Attacks in Brazil
| Date / Time | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03-06-2023 14h20 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Kaylane Timóteo Freitas | F /15 | Left arm severly injured | |
| 03-05-2023 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | male | M /14 | Right thigh bitten resulting in surgical amputation | |
| 02-21-2023 16h30 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | André Luiz Gomes da Silva | M /32 | Injuries to left thih and calf | |
| 11-03-2021 | BRAZIL ,São Paulo. | Swimming | male | M | Laceration to lower right leg | |
| 07-25-2021 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Squatting in the water | Everton dos Reis Guimarães | M /32 | Lacerations to poster thigh and buttock | |
| 07-10-2021 13h50 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Wading | Marcelo Rocha Santos | M /51 | FATAL | |
| 01-13-2021 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Sergo Noronha | M /52 | Puncture wounds to right hand | |
| 05-04-2019 | BRAZIL ,Fernando de Noronha | Fishing | male | M /12 | Cut to toe from hooked shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Lemon shark pup |
| 02-14-2019 17h30 | BRAZIL ,Fernando de Noronha | Surfing | Carlos Vinícius de Oliveira | M /31 | Minor injury to face | Lemon shark |
| 06-03-2018 Late afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Jose Ernesto da Silva | M /18 | FATAL | Tiger shark |
| 04-15-2018 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Pablo de Melo | M /34 | Multiple severe injuries to arms and leg, leg subsequently surgically amputated | |
| 04-10-2018 | BRAZIL ,Alagoas | Fishing | Josias Paz | M /56 | Injury to ankle from marine animal trapped in weir PROVOKED INCIDENT. | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 02-11-2018 | BRAZIL ,Boi Island, Victoria | Cleaning fish | Rosalida Souza | F /46 | Lacerations to 4 toes of right foot | Injury believed caused by an eel, not a shark |
| 01-12-2018 Late afternoon | BRAZIL ,Fernando de Noronha | Surfing | Ricardo Ferrari Bulhoes | M /20 | Minor injury to left forearm | small shark |
| 02-06-2017 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Grabbing shark for a selfie | female | F | Minor injury to finger, PROVOKED INCIDENT | Lemon shark pup |
| 01-24-2017 13h20 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Arthur Andrade | M /21 | Minor laceration to ring finger | |
| 03-02-2016 | BRAZIL ,Santa Catarina State | Swimming | Rafael Hermes Thomas | M /41 | Minor injury to head | Sandtiger shark |
| 02-02-2016 | BRAZIL ,Balneário Camboriú | Swimming | Rafael Hermes Thomas | M /41 | Lacerations to scalp | Sandtiger shark |
| 12-21-2015 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Scuba diving | Márcio de Castro Palma | M /32 | Right hand & part of forearm removed | Tiger shark, 1.5 m |
| 03-31-2015 11h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Diego Gomes Mota | M /23 | Injury to left thigh from unidentified species of fish; injuries inconsistent with shark bite | No shark involvement |
| 06-09-2014 | BRAZIL | Fishing | Sunarko | M /43 | Severe injury to arm | |
| 07-22-2013 13h20 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Bruna Silva Gobbi | F /18 | FATAL | |
| 05-23-2013 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | José Rogério da Silva | M /41 | FATAL | ||
| 08-26-2012 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Tiago José de Oliveira da Silva | M /18 | FATAL | |
| 11-12-2011 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Jerônimo Pereira da Paz | M /35 | Legs bitten | |
| 07-31-2011 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Gabriel Alves dos Santos | M /14 | Cause of death may have been drowning; remains scavenged by sharks | Shark involvement prior to death not confirmed |
| 06-29-2011 10h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Malisson Lima | M /21 | Lacerations to right thigh | |
| 01-31-2010 | BRAZIL ,Rio Grande Do Sul | Surfing | Andrei Johann | M /29 | Foot bitten | Thought to involve a juvenile hammerhead shark |
| 09-13-2009 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Maurício da Silva Monteiro | M /34 | Cause of death was drowning; his remains were scavenged by sharks | ||
| 09-07-2009 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming, attempting to rescue a girl believed to be drowning | Geovanni Tiago Barbosa | M /15 | FATAL | |
| 01-26-2009 | BRAZIL | Luciano Guimaraes dos Santos | M /17 | Probable drowning with post-mortem bites | Shark involvement prior to death was not confirmed | |
| 01-23-2009 | BRAZIL ,Maranhão | Swimming | Luciano Guimarães dos Santos | M /17 | Drowned, body scavenged by shark | Invalid |
| 06-24-2008 Morning | BRAZIL ,Bahia | Surfing | Ricardo Garcia Santo Sé | M | No injury, board bitten | |
| 06-11-2008 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Juan Rodrigues Galvao | M /14 | Laceration to left leg & foot | |
| 06-01-2008 15h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Wellington dos Santos | M /14 | Hand severed, buttocks bitten | Bull shark |
| 12-07-2007 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Removing fish from a trap | Malvis Cristino de Souza | M /28 | 20 cm injury to left foot | 2.27 m shark |
| 09-03-2006 13h00 | BRAZIL | Darlan dos Santos Luz | M /20 | FATAL | ||
| 08-22-2006 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Tatiano Silva de Melo | M /17 | Shark bites may have been post mortem | Shark involvement prior to death was not confirmed | |
| 07-10-2006 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Unidentified | M | FATAL | Bull or tiger shark | |
| 06-18-2006 09h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Body boarding | Humberto Pessoa Batista | M /27 | Left thigh bitten FATAL | |
| 05-21-2006 11h30 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Rogério Antônio de Carvalho | M /33 | Injuries to left thigh, calf & foot | |
| 04-09-2006 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | José Ivair Pereira | M /35 | Left leg bitten | Tiger shark |
| 02-04-2005 | BRAZIL ,Bahia | Surfing | Antonio de Carvalho Miguel Pereira | M /12 | Right thigh & ankle injured | |
| 09-08-2004 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Unidentified | FATAL | ||
| 08-21-2004 13h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Bathing | Wagner da Silva | M /24 | Calf bitten & both hands injured | Tiger shark, 1.5 m |
| 05-23-2004 14h30 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Walmir Pereira da Silva | M /17 | Left hand, foot severed & left calf & arm bitten | Bull shark |
| 05-22-2004 16h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Wading | Naiane Barbosa Bringel | F /24 | Hips & thighs bitten | |
| 05-01-2004 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Orlando Oscar da Silva | M /22 | FATAL | |
| 03-29-2004 07h30 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Body boarding | Alcindo de Souza Leão Júnior | M /22 | Lower left leg bitten, surgically amputated | bull shark |
| 02-29-2004 15h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Edimilson Henrique dos Santos | M /29 | FATAL, right thigh & hip bitten | |
| 06-24-2003 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Moses Nunes de Albuquerque Junior | M | FATAL | ||
| 04-26-2003 | BRAZIL ,Rio de Janeiro | Killing sharks | male | M | Shallow lacerations to left thigh PROVOKED INCIDENT | |
| 04-25-2003 18h30 | BRAZIL ,Rio de Janeiro | Swimming | Felipe Tavares Marinho | M /16 | Bitten on finger | |
| 04-23-2003 17h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Tiago Augusto da Silva Machado | M /17 | Hand & foot lacerated, lower left leg severely bitten, necessitating surgical amputation | Bull shark |
| 04-23-2003 | BRAZIL ,Rio de Janeiro | Swimming | male | M /7 | Right hand lacerated | |
| 12-01-2002 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Aylson Gadelha | M /19 | FATAL | |
| 10-14-2002 16h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Luis Soares de Arruda | M /36 | FATAL, body not recovered | Possibly a bull shark or tiger shark |
| 09-16-2002 15h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Fabrício José de Carvalho | M /19 | Left thigh bitten, leg surgically amputated | Bull or tiger shark |
| 07-10-2002 15h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Mário César Carneiro da Silva | M /22 | Right hand severed | Bull or tiger shark |
| 05-10-2002 17h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Paulo Fernandes Alves Ferreira | M /40 | Leg injured | |
| 03-24-2002 17h00 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Fábio Fernandes Silva | M /16 | Severe kacerations, FATAL | |
| 01-03-2002 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Unidentified | FATAL | ||
| 03-08-2001 | BRAZIL ,Bahia | Attempting to catch a crocodile | V.A.F. | M /12 | Lacerations below the knee | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 03-03-2001 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Swimming | Carlo Alberto Brasileiro | M /20 | FATAL | |
| 12-26-1999 | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Alton Cicero da Silva | M /18 | Leg bitten, surgically amputated | Thought to involve a white, bull or tiger shark |
| 12-06-1999 09h30 | BRAZIL ,Rio de Janeiro | Spearfishing | Frederico Nóbrega (aka Derico) | M /39 | Lateral right thigh bitten. Thought to involve a 1.2 to 1.5 m tubarão da gralha preta - a blacktip shark, C. limbatus | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 11-06-1999 10h30 | BRAZIL ,Rio de Janeiro | Spearfishing, but swimming at surface | male | M /39 | Upper right thigh bitten | 1.3 to 1.6 m shark |
| 05-01-1999 Afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Charles Heitor Barbosa Pires | M /21 | Leg & hands bitten | Tiger shark, 2.5 m [8.25'] |
| 03-18-1999 | BRAZIL ,Rio Grande de Norte | Scientific research (Dr. Sonny Gruber's student) | Dan Cartamil | M | Grabbed small shark & it bit him PROVOKED INCIDENT | |
| 11-02-1998 Late afternoon | BRAZIL ,Pernambuco | Surfing | Claudio Roberto Florencio de Freitas | M /22 | FATAL, left forearm severed | Though to involve a white shark |
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Are there many shark attacks in Brazil?
While Brazil does experience some shark attacks, the number is relatively low compared to other countries. The country has implemented various safety measures to mitigate such incidents, contributing to a decline in the frequency of shark attacks in recent years.
Which beaches in Brazil are most notorious for shark attacks?
In Brazil, the most notorious beaches for shark attacks are predominantly found in the region of Recife. Specifically, Boa Viagem Beach stands out as a hotspot for such incidents, garnering a reputation over the years. Despite measures to mitigate these occurrences, shark attacks at Boa Viagem Beach in Brazil remain a concern.
What precautions should tourists take to avoid shark attacks in Brazil?
Visitors to Brazil looking to avoid shark encounters should consider several preventive measures. It’s advisable to swim in groups as sharks often target solitary individuals and to avoid the water if you have a wound since sharks are attracted to the scent of blood. Most importantly, always respect local guidelines and restrictions, particularly in areas known for shark activity like Boa Viagem Beach in Recife.
