Shark attacks on humans have been considered to be rare by experts in the field.
However, a recent incident off the waters off California adds to the multitude of cases of related attacks across the United States in recent years.
Many of these attacks were unprovoked.
In California's Central Coast, a shark attacked a male swimmer in the Pacific Ocean, off the Lovers Point Beach in the coastal city of Pacific Grove, Monterey County at around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22.
The victim reportedly sustained wounds on his stomach, arm, and leg.
Surfers and paddleboarders in the area quickly went into the waters to rescue the beachgoer and pulled him back to the shore, after they have seen him struggling from an apparent shark attack for several seconds or minutes.
The man survived the ordeal as emergency personnel responded at around 10:39 a.m. local time and took him to the nearby Natividad Hospital.
The current condition of the survivor remains unknown at the time of reporting.
Initial assessment of the incident showed he could recover from the recent attack.
California Shark Attack
A local resident named Fernando Beltran was taking a break when he saw a splash in the water that he thought was caused by two swimmers.
Fernando thought people were involved in a so-called wresting activity on the waters until he noticed a dorsal fin lurking on the surface, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
The incident was in fact a struggle between the swimmer and the unidentified shark.
The witness reportedly said the individual went underwater for approximately 10 to 15 seconds before resurfacing again and started calling for help.
The shark species in question is yet to be determined based on the latest reports.
Local officials sent out a drone to search for the marine animal but to no avail.
The authorities have closed the beach at Lovers Point and Sea Palm until Saturday, June 25. Following the incident, aerial search for the shark culprit is still underway and close monitoring for further shark sightings continues, according to ABC 30.
Also Read: Frequency of Shark Attacks Linked to Moon Phases, Reveals New Study
Shark Attacks
Last year, the US recorded the highest record of unprovoked shark bites, with several dozens of reported cases, both confirmed and unconfirmed.
Previous research suggested that such animal attacks were caused by a mistaken identity on human, who could be perceived as a food.
Other theories include linkages with moon phases and climate change.
In 2021, there were a total of 137 alleged shark-human interactions globally.
The alleged shark attacks were counted or classified to include 73 unprovoked bites, 39 provoked bites, and four boat bites, according to the 2021 International Shark Attack File (ISAF) of the Florida Museum.
Moreover, there were 14 unconfirmed cases, one unassigned case, five doubtful cases, and one incident relating to potential shark scavenging.
However, anecdotal evidence and several documented incidents show most fingers point at great white sharks and bull sharks to be responsible for most shark attacks.
The Florida Museum clarified that unprovoked bites are incidents when a shark bite or shark attack on a live human occurs within the natural habitat of the shark, without any international provocation of the shark.
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