Twenty-seven-year-old Braxton Rocha was spearfishing while on the northern coastline of Hawaii when he was horrifically bitten by a tiger shark Sunday afternoon, reported the Guardian. The tiger shark has been nicknamed Man-Eater due to the fact that it often has an insatiable hunger and a palate for any meaty cuisine. Rocha was able to swim to the shore from an isolated area, Upolu Point. Luckily, a friend had come along with him and was able to call 911 for help. The shark is believed to be about 13-feet long.
After a heavy rain, ocean waters can become cloudy and hard to navigate through. Sharks will use electrical sense and touching, called ampullae of Lorenzini, in the tip of their nose to sense prey, according to the Great Fiji Shark Count. Tiger sharks don't usually attack humans on purpose, but when they become disoriented, they might lash out, as this one did in the murky water officials told people to stay out of. Once fully matured, they can be up to 25 feet long, according to National Geographic.
Officials haven't said what condition Rocha is in, but he was taken to a hospital via helicopter for surgery. Since the attack happened in an isolated area, beaches will remain open, reported ABC News.
