Australia Officially World’s Most Deadliest Country For Shark Attacks?

Another surfer has been killed by a shark off a notorious stretch of Australia’s west coast today. The 35-year-old man was surfing off a beach near Gracetown, about 167 miles south of Perth, when he was attacked.

Chris Boyd, was killed by a shark while surfing south of Perth. [Photo by Perth Now]

Chris Boyd, 35, was killed almost instantly when he was attacked at a popular surf spot in Gracetown near Margaret River. The attack prompted an “imminent threat” order from the Australian Department of Fisheries, which directed department officers to locate the shark, believed to be a great white.

Department spokesman Tony Cappulleti told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio Australia it was too early to determine whether the shark would be killed once located.

“It just depends on the species of shark â€" obviously not all species of shark are dangerous or may be responsible for the attack, so obviously those decisions will be made at the time.”

Carcharodon carcharias, otherwise known as the great white shark. [Photo by SBS]

The large surfing community in Gracetown, however, was described as reeling after the attack, which occurred off a crowded beach where hundreds of high school students were celebrating the end of the school year, news.com.au said.

Boyd, a father of two, was known to many surfers and was considered a mentor to youngsters who were new to the sport. Witnesses told news.com.au Boyd never had a chance after the shark brushed past one surfer and zeroed in on him.

“He was missing his left arm and flesh off the right leg,” said Ryan Scanlon, who was about to enter the water when the attack occurred in front of him. “The shark bit him and held him for about a minute. He was dead before the shark let go.”

Beaches near Gracetown have been closed because of a fatal shark attack. [Photo by Perth Now]

With three fatal shark attacks in the past few months, and constant sightings of large sharks lurking meters from popular surfing and swimming beaches, the threat of shark attack has moved a little too close to home for many Western Australian surfers.

So why has this recent spate of attacks occurred? According to Coastal Watch, one popular theory is that increases in seal populations and the number of whales migrating through the region are a major contributing factor. Dead whales floating at sea also become huge burley balls, attracting sharks from far and wide.

A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year around 100 shark attacks are reported worldwide. Before you think about heading into the water for that next surf, read up on recorded shark attacks at Shark Attack Survivors and Shark Attack Info.

 Australia Officially World’s Most Deadliest Country For Shark Attacks?