Florida Coast Shark Attack Man Recovering, Third Incident

A man on Florida's northeast coast is recovering after being bitten by a shark over the weekend, marking the third shark attack in the state in the past month, authorities confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in the Amelia River near Fernandina Beach, approximately 35 miles north of Jacksonville.

According to Alicia Tarancon, a public affairs officer with the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, the victim had been fishing and caught the shark before being bitten severely on his right forearm. Officers from the Sheriff's Office Marine Unit responded to a distress call on Friday morning and found the victim in critical condition aboard a boat, losing blood from the shark bite.

Emergency responders applied a tourniquet to the victim before transporting him to shore, where he was airlifted to a local hospital, as reported by The Florida Times-Union. On Sunday, Tarancon confirmed to The Associated Press that the victim remains alert and is recuperating in the hospital.

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The recent string of shark attacks in Florida, including two incidents in early June in the panhandle that injured three people and led to temporary beach closures in Walton County, has raised concerns. Additionally, three more attacks were reported elsewhere in the U.S. – one in Southern California and two in Hawaii, one of which was fatal.

Stephen Kajiura, a professor at Florida Atlantic University specializing in sharks, acknowledged that the frequency of recent attacks is unusual but attributed it to increased human activity in the water during summer and warmer waters. He noted that more people in the water naturally elevate the risk of encounters with sharks.

Kajiura explained that warmer months typically see heightened shark activity, influenced by seasonal migrations and increased presence of bait fish close to shore. He emphasized, however, that shark bites resulting in fatalities are rare. Florida, he added, leads globally in reported shark bites, with 16 unprovoked incidents reported last year.

Despite the incidents, Kajiura advised beachgoers not to avoid the water but to exercise caution by avoiding wearing shiny jewelry or swimming near schools of fish, which could attract sharks. He encouraged swimming in groups and in areas with lifeguards present for added safety.

The ongoing incidents underscore the need for vigilance and awareness when enjoying coastal waters, where encounters with marine life like sharks can occur unexpectedly.

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July 1, 2024 11:06 a.m. 355

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