Taking to the water for any sport is an enterprise fraught with danger. There are associated risks to life and limb that are absent from other sporting avenues. The possibility of being attacked by a predator, particularly a shark, is high. And now, with shark attacks rising in frequency this year, one more can be added to the list.

The location in question was Riverton in New Zealand. A 21-year-old woman was walking in knee-deep water near the Riverton rugby grounds around 2 am when she was attacked. She survived the ordeal but found herself hospitalized as a result of the shark attack.

Shark attack in estuary in Riverton

A police spokesperson said the woman suffered a significant laceration to her leg and required emergency treatment, as reported by the New Zealand Herald. They speculated the culprit was perhaps a sevengill shark. That particular species is known to frequent that estuary.

Moreover, the time of day is believed to be a potential key factor in the attack. Authorities urged caution after this attack. Those taking to the water have been asked to take safety precautions and avoid late-night swims.

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Located 30km west of Invercargill, Riverton is a popular holiday destination and police are asking anyone heading into the water to “follow safety guidelines and avoid late-night swims”.

New Zealand Marine Studies Centre educator Rob Lewis noted sevengill sharks move closer to the shore during summers. They, he added, were very curious animals and could investigate fast movements and splashing via a bite. He specified the way to deal with a sevengill shark is to maintain eye contact and calmly exit the water.

No significant trends to be gleaned in New Zealand waters

Shark expert Clinton Duffy, who worked for the Department of Conservation, noted most encounters with sharks off New Zealand are not dangerous. Duffy added he was aware of 16 unprovoked shark attacks in New Zealand waters between 2012 and 2021. Only two of them were fatal. He posited attacks were a rarity, which made it difficult to detect any substantial trends.

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Duffy added he had recorded 61 unprovoked attacks on swimmers and surfers from 1852 to late 2020. Ten of those proved to be fatal. Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, reported 12 fatal shark attacks up to the year 2014. Additionally, dusk and dawn are when sharks tend to feed. The timing of the day is key.

Shark attacks are a distinct possibility when taking to the water. While most encounters with sharks around New Zealand were not risky to humans, Clinton Duffy noted any shark 1.8m or larger should be considered potentially dangerous. Even if one encounters a shark, there are steps one can take to emerge unscathed.

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