Steve Stotts was surfing around 16h00 in chest deep water with his wife about 30m off Mahaulepu beach when a shark clamped down on his left foot. Stotts observed a seal prior to the incident.

Stotts and his wife then paddled back to shore and drove to the hospital. A tiger shark was assumed based on Stott’s wound. It was mentioned that the shark was chasing down the very seal that Stotts observed and he then was in between the two of them. Although this is a possible scenario, the shark’s response would likely be different. When sharks try to chase off intruders or competitors, they most often apply several quick bites (to “get the point across”).

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