A witness to a shark attack (click here) off the North Carolina coast — one of two on Sunday that cost kids their arms — told NBC News that it was "like a scene out of 'Jaws.'"
Steve Bouser was on the beach at Oak Island when a shark attacked a 12-year-old girl. He described watching someone carry the girl out of the ocean, then a crowd rushing to help her. One woman yelled for people to make a tourniquet.
"Everybody was screaming, 'Get out of the water!'" he said.
The girl was "obviously going into shock," he said. He recalled people asking, "Can you hear me?" "She would respond not very enthusiastically, but you could tell she was still conscious," he said....
Scientists have worked with sharks in recent years to monitor populations since they started dropping in numbers. This may be the beginning of a trend in migration. Marine scientists working with shark populations should assess the number and species of shark off coast of North Carolina.
Unfortunately, it might impact tourism, but, shark attacks have to be taken seriously. If the facts regarding off shore shark populations are known and understood, it may lead to education of the public to the extent of any danger. These attacks did not occur at the barrier islands. North Carolina should promote tourism and it's land based entertainment and historical places. North Carolina cannot afford a negative trend in tourism.
Beach closings have to occur before any shark attacks once the waters have been assessed for trends if they exist. This could be a couple of rouges, but, I think there is ample reason to believe this migration into warmer waters.
There have been other shark attacks in North Carolina in recent years. That was one very rarely in any year. This is different in that two attacks occurred in proximal distance. I could be the same shark, too. If it is a single individual, it needs to be removed from causing more problems.
