Incident Report
Surfer Injured by Whaler Shark at Cocos (Keeling) Island Jetty
cocos (keeling) island, jetty, Western Australia·Australia
A 35-year-old male surfer sustained bite injuries to the thigh from a whaler shark measuring 1.8 meters in length at a jetty off Cocos (Keeling) Island in September 2009.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In September 2009, a surfing incident occurred at a jetty near Cocos (Keeling) Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. A 35-year-old male surfer was bitten by a whaler shark (family Carcharhinidae) estimated at 1.8 meters in length. The shark inflicted teeth marks on the victim's thigh. The surfer survived the incident with non-fatal injuries. Whaler sharks are known to inhabit open ocean and island environments throughout Australian waters. This incident occurred in the island's open ocean site type, where shark encounters, while uncommon, can occur during water-based recreational activities.