Incident Report
Wobbegong Bite Injures Surfer at Middleton Beach, South Australia
victor harbour, middleton beach, South Australia·Australia
A 31-year-old male surfer sustained teeth marks to his foot during a wobbegong encounter at Middleton Beach near Victor Harbour in January 1998. The injury was non-fatal.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In January 1998, a surfing incident occurred at Middleton Beach near Victor Harbour in South Australia involving a wobbegong shark. The male surfer, aged 31, sustained an injury consisting of teeth marks to his foot. The encounter resulted in a non-fatal outcome. Wobbegongs are benthic sharks found in Australian coastal waters, typically inhabiting reef and sandy bottom habitats where they hunt at or near the seafloor. While generally docile, they will defend themselves if threatened or accidentally contacted. This incident was classified as a non-fatal injury.