Headlines have dubbed the southeastern U.S. state of Florida the world's most likely place to be bitten by a shark. They're right, but, at the same time, shark bites are immensely rare – a fact scientists wish more people knew, especially amid declining shark populations desperately in need of conservation.

"Sharks are trying to avoid people," says shark researcher Gavin Naylor. They are "targeting the fish that they normally feed on, but once in a while, people get in the way and the sharks make a mistake and they bite the people," he adds.