Table 2.
Comparison of the environmental conditions of human–shark interactions in New Caledonia before and after January 2008.
| Variable | p-value13 | Average for human–shark interactions before January 2008 |
Average for human–shark interactions after January 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Time of human–shark interaction (day of the week)1 [DAY] |
0.917f. | - | - |
|
Time of human–shark interaction (season)2 [SEASON] |
0.408f. | - | - |
| Hour of human–shark interaction3 [HOURTYPO] | 0.113f. | - | - |
|
Time of human–shark interaction (time of day)4 [MORNING] |
0.119f. | - | - |
| Human–shark interaction’s location5 [ZONE] | 0.001f. | - | - |
| Human–shark interaction orientation6 [WIND] | 1.0 k | - | - |
| Shark type [SHARKTYPE] | 0.1637f. | - | - |
| Shark size [SHARKSIZE] | 0.7237w | 2.70 m | 2.80 m |
| Most dangerous sharks7 [SHARKCAT] | 0.03f. | - | - |
| Victim’s age [AGE] | 0.4213w | 31 y.o | 34 y.o |
| [SEX] | 0.32 k | - | - |
| Victim’s activity8 [ACTIVITY] | 0.0019f. | - | - |
| Human–shark interactions outcomes (severity score)9 [GRAV] | 0.041f. | - | - |
| Human–shark interactions outcomes (fatal or not fatal)10 [INJURY] | 0.368 k | - | - |
| Rainfall the day of a human–shark interaction [RAINJ] | 0.2153w | 2.6 mm | 7.2 mm |
| Cumulated rainfall during the three days preceding a human–shark interaction [RAINJ3] | 0.6553w | 12 mm | 10.2 mm |
| Cloud cover [CLOUD] | 0.171w | 37.8% | 46.1% |
| Swell height [SWELL] | 0.00028w | 0.75 m | 1.2 m |
| Water turbidity11 [TURB] | 0.534 k | - | - |
| Moon phase12 [SCOREMOON] | 0.435 k | - | - |
1 Day of the week when the human–shark interaction occurred (Monday, Tuesday, etc.).
2 Month of human–shark interaction, classified into two categories: summer (October to March) or winter (April to September).
3 Hour of human–shark interaction, classified into periods of 1 h from 7 to 20.
4 Hour of human–shark interaction, classified into two categories: before or after 12 pm.
5 Human–shark interaction location (zone), classified into five categories: East, West, Loyalty Islands, Noumea suburban, Bays of Noumea.
6 Orientation of the coastline to the prevailing winds (leeward or windward).
7 Most dangerous sharks, classified into two categories: large sharks (tiger, bull and white) or other species.
8 Victim’s activity, classified into four categories: practising boardsports, spearfishing, swimming, and scuba diving.
9 Human–shark interactions outcomes (severity score), classified into five categories: 1 = material damage but no physical harm and/or slight abrasion injuries; 2 = minor bites requiring stitches; 3 = significant bites, injuring the ligaments; 4 = loss of a limb; 5 = death.
10 Human–shark interactions outcomes, classified into two categories: fatal or non-fatal.
11 Classified into four categories: clear, slightly turbid, turbid, highly turbid.
12 Classified into four categories: new moon, first quarter, last quarter, full moon.
13 The letter beside the p-value indicates the test used (w for Welch’s t test, k for the chi-squared test, f for the Fischer test).