MELBOURNE BEACH, Florida — A teenage male suffered a shark bite on the ankle near the 9300 block of State Road A1A in Melbourne Beach today.
Brevard County Fire Rescue spokesperson Lt. Donald Slayman said that the teenager was already out of the water when fire rescue crews arrived. He was then transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
As reported by Brevard Times in its surf report over the last few weeks, small sharks have been spotted chasing bait fish into the shallow surf.
Although the type of shark in this attack was not identified, the number one species for biting along the beaches on the U.S. East Coast is the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the top picture, according to NOAA. The shark has black tips on its pectoral fins and grows to no more than about six feet.
Brevard County surpassed Volusia County as the #1 county in Florida for shark attacks. Florida remains the number #1 state in the U.S. for shark attacks.
TOP PHOTO: NOAA file photo of a black tip shark.
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I really wish the media would stop using the word "ATTACK" when it comes to shark bites. They are not attacking! They are doing what comes natural in THEIR natural surroudings! Get it right people!
I really wish the media would stop using the word "ATTACK" when it comes to shark bites. They are not attacking! They are doing what comes natural in THEIR natural surroudings! Get it right people!