Are sharks common in the Keys?

Lemon sharks get their name from their pale yellow coloring and are one of the species that is most abundant in the Florida Keys, as these are their native waters. They prefer shallow waters and are often seen on the flats, reefs, and even venturing into fresh waters at times.



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Are there Sharks in the Florida Keys? You bet. It is common to catch nurse sharks while fishing on the flats. These bottom dwellers are generally docile and will only act defensively if provoked, so if you see one out snorkeling or diving there is no need for alarm as long as you do not disturb it.

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Rose seems to love the warm waters of the Florida Keys. This 10-foot great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) keeps showing up there. If you're wondering how a shark receives a name like Rose, it was SeaWorld in conjunction with OCEARCH that chose it.

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Know the Facts. In Key West, there has never been a fatal shark attack, and there's only been one incident reported in the record books since the 1800s. For those who like statistics, you're 45,000 times more likely to die from a car accident than from a shark attack.

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Occasionally, Key West gets American Crocodiles. Croc's feel more at-home in our saltwater canals than 'gators. However, if you drive about 45 minutes up the Keys to an island called Big Pine, which has the largest freshwater lense in the Lower Keys, and head to the “Blue Hole,” you'll probably see American alligators.

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American crocodiles are most prevalent throughout Central and South America; however, small populations reside in the very southernmost area of Florida. The crocodiles you will find in the Florida Keys play a role in the delicate Everglades ecosystem, preying on reptiles, fish, birds and small mammals.

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Probably not. There's simply not enough fresh water in Key West, which has no lakes, no rivers, and gets significantly less rainfall than the Upper Keys, Everglades, or Miami. Occasionally, Key West gets American Crocodiles.

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Florida (259 bites) Volusia, home to world-famous Daytona Beach, has the dubious honor of being known as the “shark bite capital of the world.” New Smyrna Beach, just south of the city, is an epicenter of shark activity.

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You can also swim and enjoy other water sports like windsurfing and snorkeling as well as kayaking and paddleboarding in the clear, clean water inhabited by tropical fish.

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47th Annual Swim Around Key West on June 3, 2023.

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We see a number of different types of sharks in Key Largo, mainly Reef Sharks, Nurse sharks and some Bull sharks. There are however visitors to our shores that are a little larger.

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