Are there sharks in the waters around Cancun?

There are sharks in the waters around Cancun, with Forbes even recognizing Cancun as one of the world's most shark-infested beaches. The tiger shark and bull shark are the most common inhabitants of the waters surrounding the Yucatan peninsula resort city.

Historically, the area does experience less fewer fatal and nonfatal attacks than other beaches, making it less dangerous to swimmers than other popular destinations. While sharks do tend to congregate near the reefs far off the coast of Cancun and human traffic does attract sharks, it is believed that the shallower water so prevalent near the coast discourages the sea predators, keeping them further out at sea.