A man off the northeast coast of Florida was bitten by a shark this weekend but is now recovering, authorities said Sunday, in the third shark attack in state waters in the past month.
Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit personnel responding to a distress call Friday morning found the victim in critical condition aboard a boat, losing blood from a “severe” shark bite in his right forearm, according to a social media post from the sheriff’s office. .
The attack occurred in the Amelia River near Fernandina Beach, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville, after the victim caught the shark while fishing, according to sheriff’s office public affairs officer Alicia Tarancon.
After officers applied a tourniquet, the victim was taken ashore, where he was airlifted to a local hospital, The Florida Times-Union said. reported.
On Sunday, Tarancon told the Associated Press that the victim is alert and still recovering in the hospital.
It is the third shark attack in Florida in June. O two other attacks in Florida in early June, left three people injured and led to the temporary closure of beaches in Walton County.
Three more attacks were reported in the US – one in Southern California and two in Hawaiione resulting in death.
Stephen Kajiura, a biological sciences professor at Florida Atlantic University who specializes in sharks, said the number of recent attacks is “a little high” but is a natural result of more people in the water during the summer and warmer waters.
“There will be a greater likelihood of something happening because more people are coming to the beach,” he said. “It’s strange to get so many bites in quick succession, but when you consider the number of people in the water right now, it’s not that unusual.”
Another reason for increased shark activity is the small baits, which sharks feed on, swimming close to the beach, Kajiura said. He also said scientists are seeing a resurgence of some shark species, which could mean more sharks are in the water.
According to experts, shark activity peaks during the warmer months, but also while sharks migrate seasonally in the fall and spring along the coast.
Still, Kajiura said, fatalities are rare.
Kajiura noted that Florida leads the world in shark bites.
While none were fatal, Florida reported 16 unprovoked shark bite incidents last year, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s annual shark attack tally. report. That represents 44% of the total 36 unprovoked bites in the U.S. in 2023, and just under a quarter worldwide.
Kajiura urged swimmers not to avoid the water – just be aware.
Avoid flashy jewelry or watches, which can look like fish scales in the water, he said, and swim in groups and where there are lifeguards. Also, avoid swimming near schools of fish, where sharks may be lurking.
“You’ve probably been in the water with sharks before and didn’t know it,” he said. “Just be careful.”
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
