A twelve-year-old boy was bitten by a wobbegong shark in Australia today.
The young man was north of Byron bay at First Sun Beach just after midday when he was bitten on the foot.
The wound was minor and though emergency personal were not required, his parents did take him to the hospital as a precaution.
He should have a rapid recovery from the small puncture wound.
Wobbegong sharks are normally docile and usually only bite in defense. They are extremely flexible and can reach around to bite anyone choosing to grab its tail.
They are also similar to nurse sharks in that once they have latched onto to prey it can be extremely difficult to remove.
In January of this year another wobbeggong shark bite occurred in Australia. High school teacher Shane Hilder was bitten by the 4ft shark in Caloundra. The shark had brushed against his leg and felt “heavy” when he jumped back the shark reacted and bit Hilder’s his right foot. Mr. Hilder received a two inch wound that required surgery.
The location has been marked on the 2016 shark attack bites tracking map.
