Incident Report
Wobbegong Bite Incident During Snorkelling, Margaret River 2001
margaret river, prevelly, Western Australia·Australia
A 19-year-old male snorkeller sustained teeth marks to the calf from a 1.5-metre wobbegong at Prevelly near Margaret River, Western Australia in March 2001. The incident resulted in injury but was non-fatal.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In March 2001, a snorkelling incident occurred at Prevelly near Margaret River on the southwest coast of Western Australia. A 19-year-old male snorkeller came into contact with a wobbegong shark measuring approximately 1.5 metres in length. The shark inflicted teeth marks to the victim's calf during the encounter. While the snorkeller sustained injury from the bite, the incident was non-fatal. Wobbegongs are bottom-dwelling sharks found in Australian coastal waters. Though capable of biting, they are generally docile and encounters resulting in injury remain uncommon. This incident demonstrates the importance of awareness when snorkelling in coastal environments where sharks are present.