Expert Explains How Fatal Shark Attack Could Have Been A Case Of Mistaken Identity

A marine biologist has explained how a fatal shark attack which took place in Sydney this week may have been a case of mistaken identity.

Simon Nellist, 35, had been swimming in the ocean at Buchan Point, Malabar when he was attacked on Wednesday, February 16 and suffered 'catastrophic injuries'.

A witness described the shark as being four-and-a-half metres long, and responders were sadly unable to save Nellist by the time they found his body.

His death marked the first fatal shark attack in Australia's largest city since 1963, but Lawrence Chlebeck, a marine biologist from Humane Society International, has expressed belief the shark did not approach Nellist thinking he was a human.

Per the Mail Online, he explained: 'It's very unusual to see a shark attack a human like that. Normally a bite is not fatal. Normally they bite something to figure out what it is. Once they realise it's a person and not a normal prey item, they take off.'

Chlebeck went on to describe the vast majority of shark bites as 'one and done' occurrences, adding: 'This is a very unique, and unfortunately tragic, situation.'

The marine biologist believes the shark may have mistaken Nellist to be a seal as it prepared to attack, saying: 'But we do know with great whites, as this attack is expected to be… it could well have been a case of mistaken identity.'

Chlebeck's comments were echoed by Sydney University academic Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, who told news.com.au that while it's 'not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey', it is 'exceptionally rare is for a shark to bite a human and then to bite them again.'

One reason the shark may have been in the area in the first place could be down to fishing, according to Chlebeck, who noted 'bait in water increases the risk of attracting a shark.'

He said: 'Anything that puts blood in the water will attract sharks. I'm in no way apportioning blame, but it's something we can look at when we try to make sense of these random rare occurrences.' 

Earlier this month, Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW president Stan Konstantaras told news.com.au the Little Bay area was populated with high quantities of 'big king fish, bonito, tailor' which swim around the rock platforms at either end of the beach.

Nellist was believed to have been training for a fundraising event when he was targeted by the shark.

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