(Jones Beach, NJ) — Some of the sun worshippers who head to the beach this holiday weekend will have sharks on their mind, after a woman was bitten by one at Jones Beach last week. The head of Long Island Aquarium, Joe Yaiullo is trying to put beachgoers at ease. He says sharks are not interested in biting into or eating humans. He says they are inquisitive by nature and do not have hands to feel around as the navigate the ocean. Yaiullo says they use their mouth to figure out what’s in their way. So, sometimes that means people swimming or wading in the ocean get nipped or bitten.
Last week, a 20-year old woman suffered minor cuts to her left foot and leg after she was likely nibbled on by a shark. She is okay. Nassau County is not taking an chances this weekend though. They will have spotters on the beach and drones up in the skies looking for any danger lurking in the ocean.
Shark attacks are very rare. There were just 28 shark bites and one fatality in the US in 2024.
