ICYMI: Nurse Shark Bit Woman, Wouldn't Let Go

BOCA RATON, FL — Nurse sharks may not be known for ferocity, but a little 2-footer found off the coast of Boca Raton Sunday demonstrated the species can most certainly be tenacious.

A 23-year-old woman found that out the hard way when the small nurse shark latched on to her arm and wouldn’t let go. The creature reportedly caused minimal damage, but wouldn’t release its bite even after its own death.

Since the creature was still attached to the woman's arm when Boca Raton Fire Rescue personnel arrived on the scene, both the woman and the shark were taken to a local hospital. The woman was treated and released from the hospital, several news outlets have reported.

Nurse sharks are found in abundance along Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The creatures are known to be bottom feeders and typically grow up to be about 7 feet in length with a maximum size of about 9 feet.

“This sluggish bottom-dwelling shark has been involved in only a few attacks on humans,” FWC noted on its website. Most of those attacks were considered provoked, the state noted.

The Boca Raton run-in with a shark isn’t the only attack logged in recent history. Last month, a diver off shore of Riviera Beach was bitten by a 7-foot bull shark.

See Also:

• Florida Diver Attacked By Bull Shark
• Watch: Spinner Shark Knocks Paddleboarder Into Water
• Shark Attack Numbers Break Record In 2015
• Shark Attacks: What Are The Odds?

Florida leads the nation and the world in the number of unprovoked shark attacks reported annually. Last year, there were 30 confirmed unprovoked attacks in the Sunshine State. North Carolina and South Carolina tied for second place in the country after Florida with eight confirmed attacks each.

George Burgess, the director of the International Shark Attack File, which is part of the Florida Museum of National History on the University of Florida campus, explains: “Sharks plus humans equals attacks. As our population continues to rapidly grow and shark populations slowly recover, we’re going to see more interactions."

While Florida’s 2015 attacks added up to 30, that number didn’t break the state’s record. The record high was 37, recorded in 2000. Brevard County once again led the state with eight attacks, followed closely by Volusia County with seven.

Although the number of shark attacks is rising, Burgess said the likelihood of being attacked remains low. Spiders, dogs and lightning killed more people than sharks last year, according to Burgess.

“Shark attacks in general are really a nonentity when we think of causes of mortality involved with humans,” Burgess said in a previous interview. “It’s a lot more dangerous driving to the beach.”

Photo: Nurse sharks are found along Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coastlines. Photo courtesy of the FWC Flickr page.