An Australian man was stalked by a dangerous marine predator while surfing at Angels Beach in New South Wales, Australia.
According to Sky News, someone spotted a shark in the water, but the surfer didn't get the memo. He was knocked off his board shortly after the beach was closed.
"They deployed the drone to Flat Rock so they could have a look at what was going on and could not find anything," said David Rope from non-profit volunteer group Surf Life Saving New South Wales, per Sky News.
"Then at about 10:20 a.m., a surfer out surfing at the closed beach reported that he'd been knocked off his board by a big shark."
The surfer managed to make it back to land uninjured, according to the group. Surf Life Saving NSW said the shark that attacked was of an "unknown species."
Though shark attacks are rare, and even more rarely lethal, they aren't unheard of. A dog had a close encounter with a tiger shark off Australia's west coast, for example. Another surfer in South Australia was bitten by a shark following a pursuit. Angels Beach has tragically been the location of several fatalities by shark attack in recent years.
As much as sharks are vilified, they are important predators in marine ecosystems, serving to keep prey populations in check. As ocean temperatures rise globally, the territory available to sharks is diminishing. This increases the chance of encountering them along shores they don't normally inhabit.
Protected ocean areas can ensure prey species are abundant enough to keep shark populations healthy and isolated from human contact.
The growing threat in Australia is being addressed with fresh funding for monitoring and safety programs. Around AU$4.2 million in government funds has been allocated to shark tagging, safety programs, and listening stations.
"Recent shark incidents following storms and heavy rainfall have highlighted the importance of clear, practical information for people using the water," said Tara Moriarty, minister for agriculture for Regional and Western NSW, in a statement.
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