Shark attack in San Diego this morning

[TSherman]

From the O.C. Register:

Lifeguards closed beaches in Solana Beach and Encinitas after the attack.

So far, however, no San Diego beaches have been closed, San Diego lifeguard Lt. Nick Lerma said. “It happened a significant distance from us, so we're sort of status quo,” Lerma said.

why in the hell are you standing on the bottom in your photo? LOL

 

[wreckchick]

My aunt lives close enough that she heard the loudspeaker announcement and the helicopter. No species confirmation as of yet.

Rachel

 

[Papa_Bear]

Scrips is saying Great White after examining the body do to the fact that his legs were severed from the thigh!!! Not many Sharks big enough to half swallow him up to the thigh! Tigers not seen in our area!

 

[CZ_Diver]

Uhhh...........let's just say I was only resort certified at that point.

I chose it cuz it's funny tho.

 

[BKP]

MSN is reporting that he was a retired veterinarian, and that the bite was along the thighs, as opposed to severing the legs.

They are saying the wounds would match a Great White about 12-17 feet in length, and that it looks like a typical "exploratory" bite, after which the shark just swam away.

I've no doubt it'll be sensationalized into another Jaws that tore him into bite sized chunks, until the media decides to investigate before reporting...

 

[Papa_Bear]

He is now being reported as a retired Veterinarian!

 

[Papa_Bear]

I heard the report from the Marine Biologist from Scripts! He said "It took him out of the water typical in a Great White hit"!

 

[SelkieDVM]

Man, a fellow "critter fixer." My condolences to the family.

 

[drbill]

Several of us were interviewed by KNX radio this morning to add our thoughts on this incident. I was glad to see that the Scripps specialist who followed me, and had direct observation of the victim, confirmed what I thought based on the size of the mouth necessary to inflict such a wound and the mode of attack... a 12 to 16 foot great white most likely.

Papa_Bear, there are very infrequent reports of tiger sharks in our waters. There were two confirmed sightings of juvenile tigers in Catalina waters several years ago, but my guess is that they only come up this far north during warm water events like El Ninos. The only tiger shark encounter I've had was with an estimated 22-foot individual (huge for that species) that gumped our kayak three miles offshore in the Sea of Cortez back in the early 70's.

Sevengill sharks get pretty big and are known to attack humans, but the pattern of attack doesn't match this one. Makos might, although it seems unlikely, and their pattern of attack differs from this one as well.

 

[leapfrog]

My condolences to the family. To think they used to make us swim to freak us out about the possibilty of a shark attack!

Dr. Bill, what is your considered opinion? Great White? What might have provoked the attack?

I look forward to reading your opinion.