A surfer riding his board into the shallows was bitten by a lemon shark in Brazil.
On Feb. 15, Carlos Vinicius Cavalcanti was enjoying the waves off Cacimba do Padre Beach in Fernando de Noronha. After catching a wave, he was riding into the shallows when he fell on top of a lemon shark feeding there.
As Cavalcanti fell, his head went straight into the shark’s mouth around 5:30 p.m., leaving the 31-year old man with several puncture marks on his face, ear and neck.
The local man went to Sao Lucas Hospital where he received 83 stitches, which won’t deter him from hitting the waves.
Cavalcanti plans on surfing again after his head heals in 15-days. He said the event was not a shark attack, but a simple accident.
In a similar event, another surfer from the island was bitten Jan. 12, 2018. Ricardo Ferrari Bulhoes, 20, was surfing when he fell into the water and was bitten on his left arm by what was believed to be a lemon shark.
Lemon sharks are known to be in the area during this time of year as they feed and mate.
There have been a total of 10 shark attack bites (8 with injury, 3 of which are considered provoked*) publicly reported and verified in 2019. One fatal**; Three were reported in the U.S (including zero fatal), with 1 occurring in Florida and 1 in Hawaii.
All locations have been marked on the 2019 Shark Attack Map.
Three have been reported in Australia, zero fatal. Three unconfirmed bites, worldwide, not included in the total count.
*Provoked defined as spearfishing, feeding sharks, fishing, etc. (listed with green marker).
**Zero possible scavenge
