Increase of coastal shark bite frequency linked to the COVID-19 lockdown reveals a territoriality-dominance behaviour toward humans

Abstract The effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on wildlife aggression toward humans have received little attention. Records from French Polynesia show that the annual average of about five shark bites on humans from 2009 to 2019 increased significantly to 15 in 2020, despite the virtual absence of humans from the marine environment during a six-week curfew in April–May 2020. Bites then returned to baseline levels in 2021 ( ), 2022 ( ), and 2023 ( ). Most bites in 2020 occurred just after the lockdown and were attributed to gray reef sharks, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos , displaying territoriality rather than self-defense or predatory behaviours. This temporary increase in shark bites suggests that natural territorial behavior, typically suppressed by continued human presence, reemerged during the Anthropause, providing new insights into shark risks for ocean users and the management of human–predator interactions.