Florida man smiles after being bitten by shark in very surprising area
A Florida man appeared to be in good spirits despite being bitten by a shark in an area far better known for alligator encounters than shark attacks.
Officials reported that a man is hospitalized in stable condition after being bitten by a shark at Everglades National Park on Saturday afternoon
The incident occurred just after 3 p.m. near Flamingo Lodge Highway in West Miami-Dade.
Fire Rescue paramedics airlifted the man to Jackson South Medical Center, where he was seen arriving alert and responsive.
7News cameras captured the patient waving with his uninjured left hand as he was wheeled inside, his right hand and part of his arm wrapped in bandages.
The victim appeared to be in good spirits, even flashing a peace sign as he entered the hospital.
The Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland in southern Florida, often called the 'River of Grass' because of its slow-moving, shallow waters that wind through expansive sawgrass marshes, according to the National Wildlife Federation.
While the region is famous for its alligator population, it's also home to several species of sharks—including some that can be dangerous to humans.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission describes bull sharks as a 'common apex predator' found along both Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
Officials reported that a man is hospitalized in stable condition after being bitten by a shark at Everglades National Park on Saturday afternoon.
While the region is famous for its alligator population, it's also home to several species of sharks—including some that are potentially dangerous
The agency adds that bull sharks are 'one of the few shark species that may inhabit freshwater, sometimes venturing hundreds of miles inland via coastal river systems.'
According to the commission, bull sharks are dangerous and 'accounting for the third highest number of attacks on humans.'
This incident follows a previous shark attack in the Everglades on June 23, 2023, when a fisherman was bitten while washing his hands over the side of a boat in Florida Bay.
That shark pulled the man into the water before he was rescued by others on the boat.
Allyson Gantt, chief of communications and public affairs for Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, said that the shark in the video was likely a bull shark.
Shocking video shows the minute a shark bit a fisherman and pulled him off a boat at Everglades National Park in Florida.
The footage showed the man reaching near the water as the shark jumped up and pulled him in.
The man was left scrambling to get back on the boat as his friends screamed. Blood was splatted on the side of the boat as the man made it back inside.
According to local outlets, the man was airlifted Friday to a hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue after park rangers initially responded to the scene.
The Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland in southern Florida , often called the 'River of Grass' because of its slow-moving, shallow waters that wind through expansive sawgrass marshes, according to the National Wildlife Federation
The victim appeared to be in good spirits, even flashing a peace sign as he entered the hospital
Wildlife officials are now using the video to urge those going fishing to exercise basic precautions while out on the water.
'PSA: please don't make the same mistake and please keep your hands and feet in the vessel,' wrote one fishing guide who shared the video to Instagram.
The video was sent to Local 10 by Michael Russo, who identified himself as one of the people on the boat when the horrific attack occurred.
In a since-deleted post, Russo shared the details surrounding the heart-stopping moment when his friend Nick was bitten. 'Today was one of the scariest days on the water I have ever had,' Russo wrote in a caption that was re-shared by fishing guide Mark Gore.
'It started off great and we were crushing the fish but the sharks were eating some, despite our best efforts. After releasing a snook, Nick washed his hands in the water and was immediately bit by a large [lemon] shark,' he continued.
According to Russo, there was no chum or blood in the water when the shark bit Nick while he was attempting to cleanse his hand, calling it 'unprovoked.'
'The sharks are no joke in the Everglades and the warnings about keeping your hands out of the water are not an exaggeration,' he added.
In the video, Nick—who is seen wearing white—appears to drop a fish back in just before dipping his hands back in the murky waters.
Shocking video shows the minute a shark bit a fisherman and pulled him off a boat at Everglades National Park in Florida
Blood could be seen on the side of the boat as the man went into the water
When he leans down the second time, the long grey shark jumps up out of the water and grabs at the man's hand, which hits the side of the boat as he is pulled in.
It's unclear what kind of injury the man sustained in the attack.
Russo wrote that Nick was rushed back to the dock and taken to the Jackson South Medical Center via helicopter, where he is being treated with 'the best care possible.'
Gore's post also compiled responses from other captains and fishermen who have warned against hands and feet in the Florida waters.
'I could show you a dozen places where there are packs of these lemon sharks lurking below. We can't fish in those areas anymore because it's so bad. Anywhere from the size of the one in this video to 250lbs plus,' Captain Mike Venezia said.
'All it takes it 'two seconds' and a lapse of judgement to find yourself in a dangerous situation,' Gore wrote.
