A biology professor tells Inside Edition that a huge number of sharks migrating off Florida's coast during spring-break season is likely contributing to the recent attacks.
Three Florida spring-breakers were attacked by sharks in just one week. JJ Sousa, 7, was the latest victim. He was swimming at a Fort Lauderdale beach when he was bitten. The bite left a gaping wound in the little boy’s hand.
Three days earlier, 20-year-old college student Bryce Albert was also attacked by a 6-foot blacktip shark in Palm Beach and underwent emergency surgery. “It’s such a different feeling. It’s almost like my brain didn’t fully process it, because it’s something I’ve never felt before,” Albert said.
The two attacks come on the heels of another attack in Miami. Jay Weiskopf, 9, was vacationing when a shark bit his shoulder. His mom, Kristine, told Inside Edition it was like “something out of a movie.”
“First time this kid’s ever been in the ocean, and we weren't in the water for more than five minutes,” Kristine said. “When you see a gaping wound on your child, what goes through your mind is sheer panic.”
All three are likely victims of what experts say is one of the world's largest shark migrations happening off the coast of Florida.
“At this time of year, you have huge numbers of sharks right down here at the same time that we have lots of spring breakers in the water as well,” Stephen Kajiura, professor of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University, told Inside Edition.
He says there are things that you can do to minimize your chances of being attacked, including avoid swimming at dawn or dusk when the water is murky. Experts also advise against swimming near people who are fishing and wearing shiny jewelry, which could catch the attention of sharks.
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