The increase in shark attacks has mystified lifeguards, who say they have not seen an increase in shark sightings in recent months – however people are being urged to stay out of the water
A sign on Manly beach Australia warns of a shark sighting [file image](Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A man has been attacked by a shark, with the mauling marking the fourth attack on the usually calm coastline in only a 48 hour period.
The surfer, a 39-year-old male, was bitten by a suspected bull shark on the New South Wales coast in Australia, New South Wales Ambulance confirmed.
He was surfing at Point Plomer on NSW’s Mid North Coast on Tuesday morning when the shark bit through his board. The board, luckily, appeared to cop the brunt of the assault and he was taken to hospital with only minor cuts and grazes to one of his legs.
According to the ABC, local surfers said they had witnessed a number of sharks in the water at the time of the attack, with surfers identifying them as possible bull sharks. Bull sharks are aggressive and dangerous due to their territorial nature and like to hunt in shallow waters, leading to increased interactions with humans when compared to other types of shark in the species.
Shark experts say conditions in NSW – warm ocean temperatures and dirty water from recent storms – are providing perfect conditions for bull shark activity.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce told the ABC that the 39-year-old was lucky to be alive as the waters where he was surfing are well known for shark activity.
“[He’s] very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries,” he said.
The area in which the man was mauled was isolated, not netted, and there were no smart drumlines installed to protect swimmers and surfers fron the ocean’s greatest predator.
“Anytime after a big weather event there’s always going to be a lot of run-off and out flow of creeks into the ocean and river mouths. We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it’s obviously an area where sharks congregate. If it’s dirty water I’d think twice about going in there.”
Peace added: “We have such poor water quality that’s conducive to bull shark activity … [so] just go to a local pool, because at this stage, we’re advising that the beaches are unsafe.”
Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club captain Matt Worrall reiterated that the man was incredibly lucky to escape with only minor injuries. “The surfboard seemed to take most of the impact,” he said.
The Kempsey Crescent Head Surf Lifesaver added that the recent uptick in shark attacks has mystified lifeguards, with the ocean experts reporting no increase in shark sightings or any kind of population growth when comparedc with other seasons.
“We’ve all got our own theories as to what’s going on,” he said. “I personally haven’t seen more sharks this season compared to other seasons. We think it has something to do with the freshwater that’s been pushing the sharks out of the river systems.”
The shark attack marks NSW’s fourth in a matter of days. On Monday, a 27-year-old man suffered critical injuries after being bitten at North Steyne Beach in Manly, on Sydney’s northern beaches. NSW Police say the man has susitained “life-changing injuries” in the attack and he remains in critical condition following surgery.
Earlier on Monday, another surfer escaped without injury after a shark took a chunk out of his surfboard at Dee Why Beach, also on the state’s northern beaches.
That attack followed the Sunday mauling of a boy in Sydney Harbour, with the child still critical after suffering with injuries to of his both legs at the unfortunatley named Shark Beach. The culprit is also suspected to be a bull shark, with NSW Police adding the boy and his mates had been jumping off the rocks and into murky water, dirty thanks to recent storm activity.
Shark surveillance drones have been deployed to the Port Macquarie area after the most recent attack. Swimming spots on the northern beaches have now been closed to both surfers and swimmers for the next 48 hours.
