An elderly man was severely injured after a shark bit him on the leg in the waters of Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, according to the St. Lucie County Fire District.
The unidentified man was surfing near the inlet on Friday when he was bitten.
“Our lifeguards said it was a pretty significant-sized bite below the knee to the ankle in the calf area,” St Lucie County spokesperson Erick Gill told ABC News.
The man was quickly transported to a local hospital where he was listed in serious condition.
Several surfers reported large numbers of blacktop sharks near the popular surfing venue recently.
“A lot of times the sharks are attacking schools of baitfish and if you’re in the middle of that, you’re going to get bit,” local surfer Charles Williams told TCPalm.com. “Sometimes they just get aggressive. You see ‘em and you just better get out of the water when that starts.”