Incident Report
Whitetip Reef Shark Incident During Swimming at Coral Bay, Western Australia
coral bay, warra beach, nr, Western Australia·Australia
A 38-year-old female swimmer sustained major lacerations to her foot in a whitetip reef shark encounter at Coral Bay, Warra Beach, Western Australia in May 2007. The shark, estimated at 2.5 meters in length, was involved in the non-fatal incident.
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Incident Profile
Individual
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Description
In May 2007, a shark incident occurred at Coral Bay near Warra Beach in Western Australia during a swimming activity. A 38-year-old female sustained major lacerations to her foot in an encounter with a whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) estimated at 2.5 meters in length. The incident took place in a coastal environment. The victim survived the encounter and received treatment for the injuries sustained. Whitetip reef sharks are typically found in tropical and subtropical waters and generally inhabit reef environments, though incidents with humans remain uncommon given the species' typically cautious behavior around larger animals.