Shark Bite at Sanibel Island!
A 47-year-old man reported that he was bitten on the right arm by a shark while swimming in front of the Sanibel Moorings in Florida. Police responded to the incident but the man bandaged his injury himself and did not request or require any additional medical attention.
Sharks are found regularly along beaches in the Gulf of Mexico, however, attacks on humans by sharks are supposedly very rare. According to Chief Tomlinson, “Swimmers are reminded that even though the relative risk of a shark attack is very rare, in the interest of safety, certain precautions should always be taken.”
Duh.
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UPDATE: Sanibel police are urging swimmers to be cautious after the victim, Jack Miller, 47, was bitten on the forearm by a shark at around 2:45 yesterday. He was swimming with his son when the shark chomped down on him, leaving three lacerations on his forearm.
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I thought all shark bites (suspected and actual) required medical attention (even if the wounds were relatively small) due to the risk of infection…strange the authorities didn’t “make” him go to a hospital….am I wrong?
yes you are wrong, thats the beautiful thing about America is that if you are legally sane ( and able to speak) you can refuse medical treatment for any reason, doesn’t matter if you are shot, stabbed or bit by a shark.
but yes, bacteria is present in a sharkbite wound, think of all the dead and rotting things they eat and they don’t brush their teeth.
Why does it matter if the guy did not get medical attention. I was there when it happened and i know the guy and he happens to be a doctor and that is why he didnt get medical attention. he went on antibiotics on his own doing. he didnt want bad publicity for sanibel island because he loves the area and we both come down here all the time and we think it is a very safe beach. people just overreact about stuff like this. he didnt loose a limb so whats the big deal. it was just a flesh wound!
i am going to this island in a couple of days do shark bites happen often there?