Incident Report
White Shark Incident Injures Surfer at Streaky Bay, South Australia
streaky bay, back beach, South Australia·Australia
A 47-year-old male surfer sustained major lacerations to his arm and shoulder during a white shark encounter at Back Beach, Streaky Bay, in July 2012.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In July 2012, a shark incident occurred at Back Beach, Streaky Bay, in South Australia's coastal waters. A 47-year-old male surfer was injured when a white shark made contact during his surfing activity. The encounter resulted in major lacerations to the victim's arm and shoulder. The incident was non-fatal, and the individual survived the encounter. White sharks are large predatory fish known to inhabit South Australian waters, and such incidents, while uncommon relative to the number of water users, represent the risks associated with ocean recreation in areas where these species are present.