Girl Punched Shark That Bit Her In Florida Waters

DESTIN, FL — A 17-year-old girl from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the mend after a close encounter with a shark in Gulf of Mexico waters Sunday. The young tourist reportedly punched the critter after it took a hold of her legs.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Caitlyn Taylor’s encounter with the shark, estimated to be about 5 feet long, occurred just after 3:30 p.m. April 2. She was swimming in waters behind a condominium at 1040 E. Highway 98 in Destin.

Taylor told authorities she initially thought a dolphin was swimming in the water near her.

“It was in a wave headed towards her,” a media release from the sheriff’s office said. “She says it took her by the legs, tugged on her, and immediately turned her loose.”

See also: Florida No. 1 in Unprovoked Shark Attacks

Taylor reportedly punched the shark to facilitate its departure, WKRG reported.

The sheriff’s office said the girl, who was in the Sunshine State for a softball tournament, suffered scrape wounds on one leg and puncture wounds on the other. “She required 80 stitches to that leg,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

See also: Shark Attacks: What Are The Odds?

Although Florida continues to rank No. 1 in the world for unprovoked shark attacks, Okaloosa County isn’t exactly a hotbed for such activity. Prior to Taylor’s encounter, there were only three documented unprovoked attacks in the county’s waters since 1882, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. That organization maintains the International Shark Attack File, which is “the longest running database on shark attacks,” according to its website.

Florida's confirmed unprovoked shark attacks added up to 32 in 2016. That number was up from the 30 bites recorded in 2015. The highest number of recorded unprovoked bites came out of Volusia County with 15. Other counties to witness attacks were as follows:

• Duval County – 4
• Brevard County – 3
• St. Johns County – 3
• Indian River – 2

Pinellas, Flagler, Lee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties each had one unprovoked attack.

While the number of shark attacks might seem alarming, George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, told Patch the likelihood of being attacked remains low.

“Shark attacks in general are really a nonentity when we think of causes of mortality involved with humans,” Burgess said in a previous interview. “It’s a lot more dangerous driving to the beach.”

Photo courtesy of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office