San Francisco’s KGO-TV reports that a 52-year-old man was thrown from his kayak off Pleasure Point (Santa Cruz, CA) yesterday, after the kayak was bumped and then bitten by a shark. The man was unharmed in the incident and was assisted by boaters nearby who pulled the man from the water. Authorities believe a white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) was likely responsible for the bite based on the size of the bite marks and a tooth fragment recovered from the kayak.

Here’s a “shark trapped in a fishing net” video with a happy ending from Conservation International. The video documents a rescue effort by divers in Indonesia’s Cendrawasih Bay to release a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) from a “lift net” used for catching smaller fish. According to the video description, whale sharks can become entangled in the nets after being drawn toward them by the small bait fish that the nets are targeting.

According to the video description, the fishermen using these nets are looking at alternate designs that could prevent similar incidents.

Footage of the rare 3-gill sand shark (Carcharias sandu) was capture earlier this week at Poppit Sands in Pembrokeshire, Wales by YouTube user MrJoneshari.

The time-lapse video speeds through the lengthy process of creating a toothy shark out of sand and water. Kudos to the sculptor on a job well done!

A video posted by YouTube user elanajoy86, Elena Barnes, has created a stir of online criticism after the video went “viral.” The video documents a snorkel off Nassau, Bahamas in the presence of a variety of species of sharks common to the area. According to the video information, the drift snorkel took place in the presence of lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris), nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum), and Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezii). Barnes describes the different species as “all very low on the aggression index.”

The criticism arose due to the fact that Barnes’ 5-year-old daughter also took part in the swim. Accusations (primarily in the form of blogs and YouTube comments) of irresponsible parenting due to the fact that a child is swimming in the presence of sharks. Barnes has since disabled comments on YouTube but notes in the video description that she appreciates those who are “greatly concerned” about her daughters well-being. She defended her and her husband’s decision to allow their daughter to participate in the swim and noted that her daughter was under constant supervision throughout the experience.

Barnes seems to have no regrets about the experience, despite some of the negative online backlash, and she even concludes the video description on YouTube by recommending the experience to others.