When Bull Sharks Attack

Divers & surfers that have encountered this massive ocean creature fear going into the open water after a bull shark attacked them. Here's what happens when bull sharks attack!

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Voiceover by Carl Mason: [email protected]

Number 6 Matt Bowen
24-year-old Bowen was exploring a wreck when something happened. He’d initially thought that his diving partner was playing a prank on him. Afterwards, they both rose roughly 100 feet to the surface, where a dive boat picked them up. He was initially treated at a local hospital in Albany and then transferred to a facility in Perth.
What Is It?
Bull sharks draw their name from their broad, flat snout and stocky shape. They’re large and stout with a tail fin that’s longer than that in other sharks of similar size. They’re typically grey on top of their bodies and white below. Females, which are the largest of the species, have a record length of over 13 feet and a maximum weight of 694 pounds. However, it’s believed that these creatures are capable of attaining larger proportions. The latter is because of their ability of adapting osmoregulation, the process by which they maintain a constant concentration of water in their bodies.
Number 5 Bull Sharks on the Streets
After heavy rains, in 2011, the Brisbane River broke its banks and severely flooded the small town of Goodna, Australia. One local claimed that the eastern part of Goodna had been basically turned into an aquarium. 42-year-old Steve Bateman went to check on the flood damage to his shop, which was located about a mile from the river. As he was making his way to the store, a man in a boat picked him and told him that a shark had been spotted near the shopping center. Bateman arrived at his shop where the floodwater reached higher than his chest. He pried open the glass doors but suddenly saw a long shadow and a fin swim past. Fortunately, it swam right past him. For the next few hours, Bateman hid in the shop, hoping that the predator wouldn’t return. It didn’t, and swam through a McDonald’s takeaway instead. As incredible as that incident was, this wouldn’t be the first time that a shark ended up on Australian streets. It happened again, in 2017, in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Debbie. As the water receded, a bull shark was found on a road near the town of Ayr, in Queensland. Some of the residents reportedly took teeth from the shark as souvenirs. A second bull shark was found washed up in Logan City.
Where Is It Located?
They can thrive in both, although their food and reproductive practices draw them to marine environments more. Bull sharks are found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers. They’re solitary sharks and don’t typically swim deeper than 100 feet. They’re known to live in freshwater lakes and travel far up rivers. In the Mississippi River, for example, bull sharks have been found as far as Alton, Illinois, which is about 700 miles from the ocean. They’ve travelled more than 2,500 miles up the Amazon River, to Peru and north Bolivia. In the Pacific Ocean, bull sharks range from Baja California to Ecuador. In the Atlantic Ocean they can be found from Massachusetts to the south of Brazil and from Morocco to Angola.
Number 4 Ballina Beach
It’s believed that they’d gathered to feed as the tide was going out. Because the water was very clear, the predators could be spotted by helicopters, drones and bystanders. One surf safety volunteer claimed she’d never seen anything like it.
How?
Pound per pound, the bull shark has the most powerful bite of all cartilaginous fish species. It has been measured at close to 6,000 newtons. Aside from bull sharks, great whites are also frequently included as suspects. Along with their jaw strength, bull sharks also own rows of sharp, serrated teeth.
Number 3 Paul de Gelder
In 2009, Australian Navy diver Paul de Gelder was taking part in a routine exercise in Sydney Harbor. Just as the man had resigned himself to his fate, the shark swam away, leaving him alone. De Gelder would subsequently become a motivational speaker as well as an author and would travel the world to educate people on how to safely dive with sharks.
Number 2 Jessie Arbogast
The arm had to be shortened so that it would fit properly, but was expected to regain normal size as the boy grew. Jessie regained consciousness showing signs that the reattachment had been a success.
How?
Eliminating the element of surprise should give you a chance. Go for the eyes, snout or gills, as these are the predator’s most sensitive parts. Punch, kick or gouge these areas of the shark’s body as hard as you can.
Number 1 Paige Winters
The 17-year-old was spending the day at the beach with her family in North Carolina’s Fort Macon State Park. She was swimming close to the shoreline.