15-year-old swimmer attacked by weird type of shark (original) (raw)

A 15-year-old girl in Perth, Australia, had just stepped into the ocean for a swim Monday morning when she felt something with sharp teeth latch onto her left foot.

Isabella Brett-Jensen shook free of the predator, but was bleeding profusely.

“Bits of my foot or like flesh actually fell off as I was walking up [the beach]. Brett-Jensen, who was swimming at North Cottesloe Beach, told 9 News. “There was blood everywhere.”

Based on the spherical shape of the wound, which required 10 stitches to close, the predator was determined to have been a wobbegong shark.

Wobbegong sharks feature ornate patterns and are sometimes called carpet sharks. Photo: Wikipedia

Wobbegong, in Australian Aboriginal language, translates to “shaggy beard.” Wobbegong sharks feature dermal lobes around their mouths, lending the appearance of a beard.

These masters of camouflage are also called carpet sharks, because of the ornate patterns on their bodies.

But they’re serious predators, boasting large and powerful jaws, and extremely sharp teeth. Typically, they attack by lunging upward and grabbing unsuspecting fish, including other sharks. Their diets also consists of crustaceans.

Wobbegong sharks rarely attack humans, but in some cases the sharks have held on for a minute or longer. Their teeth, though small, have inflicted severe bites even through wetsuits.

So Brett-Jensen is fortunate to have been able to have shaken free of her attacker so easily, and without a more serious injury.

As she told 9 News, “I’m still a bit shook from it. It’s been a bit of a tiring day.”

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