BLOOD IN THE WATER
Shark warning ahead of July 4 after possible attack off Long Island beach in predator danger zone
A SHARK warning has been issued at a Long Island beach ahead of the Fourth of July weekend following a possible attack involving an apex predator.
A 57-year-old man claims he suffered a laceration on his right foot caused by a bite on Thursday afternoon in the waters off Jones Beach, .
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Nassau County Police said EMS officials responded and identified the nature of the injury as a "possible shark bite".
However, park officials told that they were unaware of a shark incident and never suspended swimming.
The incident has prompted authorities to increase patrols at all Nassau County beaches over the holiday weekend.
The added measures include marine patrols on boats, helicopters and drone surveillance.
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Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said shark attacks in Long Island are "very rare," but warned swimmers to stay vigilant.
"I want to stress to everybody that it is safe to go into the ocean; however, just like crossing the street, you have to take precautions," Blakeman told .
"One of the precautions that we're taking in Nassau County is increasing our patrols of the waters around Nassau County, especially on the ocean."
TEEN LOSES PART OF HER LEG IN SHARK ATTACK
On Friday, a teen girl in lost part of her leg after being brutally attacked by a nine-foot shark in Keaton Beach, police said.
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Deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff's Office said the girl was scalloping in water about five feet deep near Grassy Island, just of Keaton Beach, when a shark bit her.
One of the girl's family members jumped in the water and beat the shark off the teen until she was free, police said.
The juvenile was airlifted to a Tallahassee hospital with serious injuries.
Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett told that the girl had surgery and lost her leg but is expected to survive.
Officials said the was described as approximately nine feet long.
GREAT WHITE SHARK WARNING
The latest attacks come as Parks and Recreation officials put swimmers on high alert due to an increase in shark sightings reported earlier than usual this summer.
Several factors, including warming ocean temperatures, are contributing to an increase in shark activity in cities along the Atlantic Ocean coastline and West Coast.
A resurgence of the bunker fish population is also luring them to area waters.
On Wednesday, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy issued a great white shark alert after experts warned of a mass migration of the predators.
AWSC scientist Megan Winton warned that Cape Cod's warm waters in July attract great white sharks to the coast.
Sightings of the predators peak from August through October, the , as per The Associated Press.
"Just know that large sharks are here," Winton said. "They’re a constant presence from June to the fall."
State marine biologist Greg Skomal, who has been studying great whites for decades, said sharks usually concentrate on the Atlantic Ocean-facing side of Cape Cod.
Sharks are drawn to this area to feast on the thriving seal population, Skomal said.
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He warns anyone visiting the coast to be very careful when swimming off beaches where the shoreline quickly drops off into deeper waters.
“Sharks will come close to the shore when they have water depth,” Skomal adds.
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