A teen is recovering after being bitten by a shark in Daytona Beach. With shark attacks appearing to be on the rise, experts offer safety tips for beachgoers this summer.
“I wouldn’t think that a shark would come near all these people,” said Contrell Thomas.
A recent string of shark bites has made some beachgoers wary of the water.
“You’re going in their own environment, so you kind of have to be mindful where you’re stepping,” Christianne Pearson remarked.
Four shark bites have occurred throughout Volusia County in less than a week. The most recent incident occurred in Daytona Beach Shores, where a 14-year-old visitor from Missouri was bitten on the foot while in knee-deep water on Wednesday.
Shark expert Gavin Naylor is not surprised by the increase in bites.
“Every year, about this time of the year, we see an uptick in bites as people go to the beaches and enjoy the water,” Naylor said.
The teen’s injuries are non-life-threatening, as are many of the bite victims in this area. Naylor explained that sharks in Volusia County often bite by accident.
“They bite somebody’s ankle or somebody’s arm. It’s not what they expect. The shark’s as frightened as the surfer, and they go away,” he said.
To avoid injury, it’s important to stay vigilant and watch the water around you, looking not only for sharks but also for schools of fish that can attract them.
“I have to be careful now. Probably not even really get in anymore,” noted Thomas.
“I’m just trying to stay cautious of where I’m walking. And you can kind of see, you know, through the ocean. You kind of can’t,” Harlee Boyles added.
Two men in their 20s and two 14-year-old boys have now been injured by sharks in Volusia County since last Thursday, reinforcing the county’s status as the “Shark Bite Capital of the World.“
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