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AR15.COM
6/8/2005 1:37:16 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A 17-year-old surfer in New Jersey lost a chunk of leg flesh in what is likely the state's first attack by a Great White shark in 30 years, officials said on Wednesday.

New Jersey resident Ryan Horton was about 25 feet off the beach at Surf City, Long Beach Island early on Sunday afternoon when he felt a sharp pain in his ankle but didn't see what caused it. After paddling back to shore, he was taken to a hospital, Surf City Police said in a statement.

Bob Schoelkopf, director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey said photos of the wound confirmed it could only have been made by a Great White.

The last recorded shark attack in New Jersey was at Sandy Hook in 1975, the year of the movie "Jaws," which terrified audiences with tales of Great White attacks.

Although such attacks are very rare, there is evidence that Great Whites live in the waters off New Jersey. In recent summers, naturalists have found signs of the sharks, including two dead sea turtles with 27-inch (68.5-cm) gashes that could only have been caused by a Great White.

Other sharks that share New Jersey waters with swimmers include the "very aggressive" Bull shark; the Mako shark, and the Sand Tiger, none of which could have inflicted the kind of wound Horton suffered, Schoelkopf said.

Schoelkopf said there was no reason for people to change their swimming habits because of the latest incident, noting "there's a greater chance of getting hit by lightning" than of being bitten by a shark.

Worldwide, there were 61 unprovoked shark attacks on humans in 2004, similar to the number in the previous four years, according to the International Shark Attack File, a service run by the Florida Museum of Natural History.








I saw a picture of the wound on the news. Looked nothing like a shark bite. Havent seen any human wound but plenty of sharks attacking fish and they looked nothing like this wound. It was a straight gash in the kids ankle. The ones I have seend all had distinct teeth marks and alot of tearing. They useually grab on and tear the shit out of their victims flesh. Seems like there just hyping this up. And a great white they say? I dont know about that. He prbably gashed his leg on some garbage at the bottom when he fell off his board. Im not too sure I beleive this one yet
6/8/2005 1:41:09 PM EDT
[#1]
Damn sharks............all they want to do is eat.

vmax84
6/8/2005 1:44:03 PM EDT
[#2]
I'm sick of this!

Shark attacks in NJ are WAY UP (compared to the last 30 years).

When will the NJ legislature stop bowing to the insane shark lobby and start passing some common sense shark control laws?

How many more children have to be attacked before they do something?
6/8/2005 1:45:23 PM EDT
[#3]
I hope they don't go after the poor shark :(
6/8/2005 1:46:49 PM EDT
[#4]

Quoted:
I hope they don't go after the poor shark :(



If it is a great white like they say, Hes fine, they are on the protected species list
6/8/2005 1:46:55 PM EDT
[#5]

Quoted:
I'm sick of this!

Shark attacks in NJ are WAY UP (compared to the last 30 years).

When will the NJ legislature stop bowing to the insane shark lobby and start passing some common sense shark control laws?

How many more children have to be attacked before they do something?




YOU CAN HAVE MY SHARK WHEN YOU CAN PRY IT FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS!!!
6/8/2005 1:48:26 PM EDT
[#6]
Going to the shore tommorow also..


Scary.
6/8/2005 1:52:57 PM EDT
[#7]
"What do you know about surfing son, you're from fucking New Jersey!"
6/8/2005 2:01:36 PM EDT
[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I hope they don't go after the poor shark :(



If it is a great white like they say, Hes fine, they are on the protected species list




BULLSHIT!

 
ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/servlet/gov.doi.tess_public.servlets.VipListed?code=V&listings=0

6/8/2005 2:06:13 PM EDT
[#9]

Quoted:
I'm sick of this!

Shark attacks in NJ are WAY UP (compared to the last 30 years).

When will the NJ legislature stop bowing to the insane shark lobby and start passing some common sense shark control laws?

How many more children have to be attacked before they do something?





6/8/2005 3:25:26 PM EDT
[#10]
Ban the ocean...It's for the children...
6/8/2005 3:32:10 PM EDT
[#11]
Can you imagine the day when the sharks decide people are prey?

Beach front property values would drop a tad, as everyone who wades out, goes under in a red foam.
6/8/2005 6:10:11 PM EDT
[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
I hope they don't go after the poor shark :(



If it is a great white like they say, Hes fine, they are on the protected species list




BULLSHIT!

 
ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/servlet/gov.doi.tess_public.servlets.VipListed?code=V&listings=0





Those are freshwater fish. Take a look NJ regulations. There also on many protected species list around the world

6/8/2005 6:21:04 PM EDT
[#13]



NJ can't say a fucking word if I shoot a great white in his head beyond the 12 miles off NJ shore.
6/8/2005 7:10:26 PM EDT
[#14]

Quoted:



NJ can't say a fucking word if I shoot a great white in his head beyond the 12 miles off NJ shore.



yep, you gotta catch im first though, and you only gotta be 3 miles out. Just dont bring it back. In this attack the shark was only 25 feet from shore, useually there not out that far unless the waters cold
6/8/2005 7:12:51 PM EDT
[#15]
We're going to NJ on Saturday.

Apparently printing this out and putting it on my scardycat sister's door isn't funny.
6/8/2005 7:16:36 PM EDT
[#16]
Surfing in NJ, then attacked by a shark?

No problem....just toss some of the syringes or barrels of toxic waste floating nearby at him.