Tag: shark bite

Shark bites Boy Scout kayaker at Catalina Island

A teenage boy was bitten by a shark Wednesday while kayaking with his father at Santa Catalina Island.

A 15-year-old boy was bitten by a shark Wednesday while kayaking with his father at Santa Catalina Island.

The boy, who was participating in a Boy Scouts of America youth camping trip, was airlifted to a local hospital in stable condition, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

His father was not injured.

The incident occurred just after 7 a.m. near Parson’s Landing. The boy apparently reached into the water after the kayak was bumped, L.A. County Fire Department Lifeguards explained in a tweet.

It was not clear what type of shark was involved, but juvenile great white sharks are feeding off Southern California and have been known to bump floating objects in an investigatory manner.

Chris Lowe, who runs the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, told For The Win Outdoors that juvenile white sharks tagged off Southern California sometimes end up off Catalina.

L.A. County Fire Department Lifeguards described the incident by stating, “The patient and their father were kayaking near Parson’s Landing when their boat was bumped by what is believed to be a shark of unknown size and type.

“During the encounter, the patient reached their hand into the water and was bit by the animal.”

CBS News reported that the victim was a 15-year-old boy on a youth camping adventure.

Lifeguards closed the area to ocean activity for at least 24 hours.

–Generic great white shark image courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Watch: Nurse shark ‘walks’ using fins, bites with awesome power

Researchers at Turks and Caicos Islands have captured rare footage showing a nurse shark using its pectoral fins to walk and position itself on the sea floor in an attempt to access perceived prey.

Researchers at Turks and Caicos Islands have captured rare footage showing a nurse shark using its pectoral fins to walk and position itself on the sea floor in an attempt to access perceived prey.

But the footage, captured by the nonprofit Beneath the Waves, also reveals an impressive biting technique that involves sucking and simultaneously clamping down with remarkably powerful jaws.

Dr. Austin Gallagher, chief scientist at Beneath the Waves, shared the video last week via Twitter and stated:

“Nurse sharks use their fins to walk and position themselves. Cool behaviors we recorded last week in TCI. Sometimes it’s the small things like this that give me ocean optimism. Likely known before, but does anyone else have similar recent footage? If so, let’s talk!”

To be sure, nurse sharks possess unique qualities.

The footage shared by Gallagher shows how they use their stout pectoral fins as limbs for maneuvering. He told For The Win Outdoors that the shark featured in the video was lured to the camera by “a baited remote underwater video station” as part of a research effort supported by the Turks and Caicos Islands government.

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Scuba divers’ close whale encounter a ‘heart-pounding’ experience

Scientists are studying shark and ray biodiversity and behavior in the country, Gallagher said, adding that the Waitt Foundation and Big Blue Collective also support the research.

Generic nurse shark image

Nurse sharks, which inhabit tropical and subtropical waters in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans, can measure 10-plus feet. They’re nocturnal hunters that rest in caves and crevasses during the day.

They’re typically docile when encountered by divers, but will bite if disturbed or threatened.

The Florida Museum states:  “Nurse sharks are not generally aggressive and usually swim away when approached. However, some unprovoked attacks on swimmers and divers have been reported.

“If disturbed, they may bite with a powerful, vice-like grip capable of inflicting serious injury. In some instances, the jaws lock and can only be released using surgical instruments.”

Their strong jaws and tiny serrated teeth come in handy as they forage along the bottom for crustaceans, mollusks, and small rays. According to the Florida Museum, nurse sharks have been observed flipping heavy-shelled conches and extracting the meat with their rapid sucking-biting motion.