Shark Data Lab logoShark Data Lab

Shark Attacks in Costa Rica

The Global Shark Attack File records 19 shark attacks in Costa Rica between 1913 and 2025. Of those, 8 were fatal (42.1%). The species most often involved is the tiger shark.

Last recorded shark attack in Costa RicaSeptember 27, 2025 · Cocos IslandsView details →

Total recorded

19

Fatal

8

Fatality rate

42.1%

Global avg 21.2%

Years covered

1913–2025

Recorded incidents by year

Peak 2 (1928)Avg 1.1
1913: 11919: 11928: 21930: 11938: 11956: 11964: 11968: 12002: 12003: 12007: 12011: 12015: 12017: 22018: 12022: 12025: 1Average: 1.1 per year
191320022025
17 years of data, 1913–2025
Shark attacks in Costa Rica per year, 1913–2025
YearAttacks
19131
19191
19282
19301
19381
19561
19641
19681
20021
20031
20071
20111
20151
20172
20181
20221
20251

Species most often involved in Costa Rica

SpeciesRecorded incidents
Tiger Shark4
Bull Shark3

Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.

Activities most associated with incidents

  • Swimming6
  • Surfing4
  • Scuba diving2
  • Diving-Tagging sharks1
  • Diving1

Recent recorded incidents in Costa Rica

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded in Costa Rica?
The Global Shark Attack File records 19 shark attacks in Costa Rica, of which 8 were fatal.
What is the shark attack fatality rate in Costa Rica?
42.1% of recorded shark attacks in Costa Rica are fatal, compared with a global average of 21.2%.
Which shark species are most often involved in attacks in Costa Rica?
Based on incident records, the species most frequently identified in Costa Rica attacks are Tiger Shark, Bull Shark.
What activities are most associated with shark attacks in Costa Rica?
Swimming accounts for the largest share of recorded incidents in Costa Rica, with 6 cases logged.
Where does this shark attack data come from?
All figures are derived from the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF), a non-profit database of shark-human incident records. Shark Data Lab cleans, geocodes, and aggregates the GSAF dataset for analysis.