Sightings of sharks off the Surf Coast in Victoria, Australia, have increased, with Lorne Beach being the most recent location to witness one.

What happened?

Thousands of beachgoers enjoying the waters of Lorne Beach were warned to get out when the shark warning siren sounded, according to the Geelong Advertiser.

Although no one was injured, this marks the latest of several shark sightings in the region. 

Before this, a 12-year-old boy caught a mako shark while fishing, and a dead shark washed up on Portarlington Beach. A few days before the warning siren went off at Lorne Beach, a video captured a great white shark swimming close to the Lorne Pier, just meters from where the yearly Lorne Pier to Pub swim launches.

Why are increased shark sightings concerning?

While shark attacks are uncommon in Victoria and no shark-related fatalities have occurred there in 35 years — and shark attacks in general are rare, with the International Shark Attack File reporting that there were only 71 shark bites globally in 2024 — shark and human encounters can and do end badly. 

One 13-year-old boy surfing with his family in Samoa had a shark bite his leg in an unprovoked shark attack. In another case, a marine biologist attempting to tag a shark in Costa Rica received a bite to the head. Both survived, but that isn't always the case. 

Shark-human encounters aren't dangerous just for the humans involved, either. Wildlife authorities will often track down the animal that attacked the person and euthanize it, even if the person provoked the animal into attacking. As roughly 50% of all shark species are considered threatened or near threatened, these euthanizations cut down on already dwindling shark populations. 

Shark attacks usually aren't the fault of the animal, though, and sharks swimming too closely to heavily populated areas are there for a reason. Changes to the climate driven by pollution and human activity have raised sea temperatures, forcing sharks and other marine life to migrate to new locations where they can find food and better survive.

Unfortunately, these locations are often ones with larger human populations. The tourism industry also doesn't help the situation, as more people vacation at the beach, increasing the risk of shark-human encounters. 

How can people protect themselves from shark encounters?

The Geelong Advertiser advised those at the beach to never swim alone and to avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, or after it rains. Remaining highly vigilant while engaging in ocean activities is always advisable.

However, one of the most important ways people can avoid sharks is by protecting these animals' natural habitats, which will enable them to stay where they belong, so they don't need to search for food closer to human habitats.

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