Some people will do anything for the perfect shot, and a woman has reportedly lost both her hands while attempting to take close-up photographs of a shark.<\/p>\n
A Canadian woman in her 50s was attempting to take photographs of the shark in the shallow waters off Blue Hills beach on Provinciales, the main island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago, on Friday 07 February.<\/p>\n
The woman allegedly tried to engage with the animal \u201cin an attempt to take photographs,\u201d the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) said in a statement. She was taken to a local medical center then airlifted off the island for further treatment.<\/p>\n
The grizzly details claim that one of the woman\u2019s hands was amputated at the wrist, while the other required amputation from the mid-section of her forearm, according to the National Post.<\/p>\n
A number of beaches were closed, but reopened two days later \u201cafter it was determined that the shark had moved to deeper water,\u201d DECR said. The shark was estimated to be about 1.8 meters in length, but the species remains unknown.<\/p>\n
The National Post also reported that \u201cA man claiming to be the woman\u2019s relative said she was able to walk back to shore after the attack. She was bitten in the thigh, he added, but did not lose her leg.\u201d The woman\u2019s husband allegedly also entered the water in an attempt to deter the shark.<\/p>\n
The DECR warned tourists to be aware of their surroundings and \u201crespect marine life\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSwim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and do not attempt to feed marine wildlife under any circumstances,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
The Cayman Islands Department of Environment said in a statement in November that its researchers had recognized behaviors in sharks engaging with divers, that are consistent with the animals having been regularly fed by divers, despite that being an illegal act in Cayman waters.<\/p>\n
This article<\/a> by Leonie Helm was first published by Digital Camera World on 18 February 2025. Lead Image: (Image credit: Mile Ribeiro). Help to protect wildlife by making a monthly donation of as little as $1.<\/p>\n Your donation will support vital conservation projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/i><\/p>\nWhat you can do<\/h2>\n