It was a busy week for sharks. A fisherman was bitten by a shark off Boca Grande, while a teen was bitten on her foot in Melbourne, Florida, and a 4-year-old was bitten in French Polynesia.
On Aug. 10 near Gasparilla Island on the Boca Grande Causeway, an unidentified fisherman caught a 6-foot-long blacktip shark. As the 55-year-old began to unhook the shark, it bit his left arm.
The man used towel from his boat to wrap his arm and alerted authorities. Charlotte County 911 received the emergency call around 4:30 p.m. and met the man at Eldred’s Marina on the Causeway..
Charlotte County 911 received the emergency call around 4:30p.m. and met the man at Eldred’s Marina on the Boca Grande Causeway.
Although EMS had prepared for a serious trauma, they determined the bite was minor. The man was then taken to a local treatment center by private vehicle.
Teen bitten by shark in Melbourne, Florida.
On July 14 in Florida, Sofia Montealegre, 14, was wading in water off Melbourne Beach when she felt pain in her right foot after a shark hit her and bit her. She was able to exit the water and was treated by Good Samaritans.
After her mother was alerted about the incident, she rushed toward the large crowd gathered around her daughter. At first, she thought her daughter had died and was frightened by the amount of blood, but the young woman was taken to the hospital where she received several stitches and staples.
She believes the shark bit her because she was wearing a brightly colored anklet.
4-year-old bitten by shark in French Polynesia.
An unidentified male was in the south part of the lagoon at Tikehau, Tuamotu Archipelago July 27.
He was about 15 meters from their anchored catamaran when they swam near a shark nursery area, and a small shark bit the boy on the leg. He was taken to the catamaran and transported to the Taaone hospital. The young man is reported to be in stable condition.
All locations have been marked on the 2020 Shark Attack Map.
