GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) --Shark attacks worldwide dipped last year to their lowest level in five years.
University of Florida shark researcher George Burgess says there were 59 attacks in 2008, compared to 71 in 2007. He attributes the decline to economy and fewer people going to the beach.
There were four fatal attacks last year, an average number, compared with only one in 2007, which marked a two-decade low. Two of the deaths were in Mexico, one was in Australia and one was in the United States.
Burgess is an ichthyologist and director of the International Shark Attack File, which is housed at the University of Florida.
