Florida Fisherman Bitten by Shark, Pulled Out of His Boat and Into the Water!

A shark bit a fisherman’s hand and pulled him into the water in the Florida Everglades. The incident happened on Friday in Florida Bay in Everglades National Park. The fisherman, whose name has not been released, reported that he leaned over the side of the boat to wash off his hands in the water. That is when a shark bit his hand and pulled him overboard.

Video of the incident was shared with local news station WPLG. The National Park Service confirmed that it is indeed video of the incident. In the video below (shared on Twitter by Animal Smackdown), you can see the shark drag the fisherman into the water. His fellow anglers immediately jumped into action, yelling, “Get him! Get him! Get him!” 

Warning: the video is graphic and may be disturbing.

The fisherman was pulled back into the boat. He was treated by park rangers and then transported by helicopter to Jackson South Medical Center by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Nothing more is known about the man’s condition.

Florida Bay

Florida Bay is a nearly 850-square-mile estuary between the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys. The bay receives freshwater from the Shark River Slough and the Taylor Slough. Even though the bay is connected with the Gulf of Mexico, a network of shallow mudbanks covered in seagrass limits the exchange of saltwater from the Gulf and freshwater from these drainage basins. The bay only averages three feet deep.

Bull Sharks

Experts believe the shark involved in the incident was likely a bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas). Bull sharks can tolerate brackish water and freshwater. They are not only found in the open ocean, but also in bays, estuaries, and even freshwater rivers.

These sharks have been found in the Mississippi River in the United States. They are also known to swim in the Amazon River in South America, the Tigris River in the Middle East, the Ganges River in India, and the Brisbane River in Australia. Bull sharks have also been found in Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. While these sharks don’t live in freshwater all the time, they are among the most adept of all sharks at navigating freshwater environments. They can even survive in freshwater full-time if they are forced to do so, as seen in a golf course lake in Australia.

Fishing Boats

When stalking freshwater environments, bull sharks can key in on fishing boats because those boats may reel in a potential meal. Yanni Melissas is a charter boat captain and owner of Boca Grande Fishing Charter. Melissas told ABC News that he has seen bull sharks target the fish hooked by his clients. In fact, it happens several times each year. Sometimes the sharks hide directly underneath the boat, waiting to ambush a fish that has been hooked or to attack a fish that is released by the anglers.

He said, “When a fish is on the line, it gives a chance for a shark that might normally not be able to catch it the ability to catch up with it and attack it, especially if the fish has been on the line for a long time; it can get tired.”

Melissas added, “It’s a really scary situation to have a fish as big as you, bigger than you, 150 pounds or 175 pounds, just be devoured at the boat by one or multiple bull sharks that are fighting.”

Bull Shark Appearance and Behavior

Not only are bull sharks among the most adaptable of all shark species, but they are also some of the most aggressive. Bull sharks rank near the top of the list when it comes to unprovoked shark attacks. 

Bull sharks have large, heavy bodies with blunt snouts. Their mouths are filled with serrated teeth. Pound-for-pound, bull sharks have the strongest bite force of any shark, even stronger than the famous great white shark.

Shark attacks in Everglades National Park are rare. Still, visitors need to be aware that alligators are not the only apex predators patrolling the waters in some parts of the park. When fishing or boating, it is imperative that everyone in the boat keep their hands and feet out of the water. As seen in the video above, a bull shark only needs a split second to launch an attack.

The shark’s physical makeup and its aggressive nature can add up to disastrous consequences if the shark encounters a human. Thankfully, in the case of this particular fisherman, the dangerous situation did not turn lethal.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock.com