Snorkeler Bitten at Trigg Beach, Perth

On December 14, 2016, a snorkeling incident occurred at Trigg Beach in Perth, Western Australia, when a 61-year-old man was bitten by a shark. The victim sustained minor lacerations to his left foot during the unprovoked encounter. According to reports, the shark's teeth penetrated the victim's diving fin, creating four puncture wounds. The injury possibly severed a small artery, resulting in significant bleeding. Despite the trauma of the attack, the victim demonstrated considerable composure in his response to the incident. After feeling the initial bite, he swam back to shore, managing his anxiety about the possibility of a second attack during the return journey. Once on the beach, the victim observed that the wound was bleeding heavily and had left a blood trail as he exited the water. He applied emergency first aid by wrapping the wound with duct tape before driving himself home on his motorcycle, where he provided further treatment. The victim provided insight into potential factors contributing to shark presence in the area, noting an increase in shark activity around Trigg Beach. He theorized that fishermen cleaning dead fish on the beach may have been attracting sharks to the location, with discarded fish parts washing into the water acting as chum. The incident occurred during 2016, a year that recorded 97 shark bite incidents globally, with 8 proving fatal. Australia experienced 23 recorded incidents that year, 3 of which were fatal.