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A young woman was bitten by a baby angel shark while swimming off a beach in Lanzarote on Sunday afternoon, after accidentally stepping on the animal hidden beneath the sand.

 

The incident happened at around 4.00pm in Playa Honda, in the Puerto del Carmen area. Witnesses said the shark was completely camouflaged in the shallow seabed, so the woman appears to have stepped on it without realising it was there. The animal then reacted defensively, biting her foot.

 

According to people nearby, she felt a sudden impact and then had to kick repeatedly to free herself from the shark’s grip. The alarm was brief, as some beachgoers feared she might need urgent medical help.

 

In the end, the injuries were confirmed to be minor. The woman cleaned the wound herself at the scene with soap and water before applying antibiotic cream to help prevent infection. Because the bite was superficial, she did not need hospital treatment.

 

Angel sharks (Squatina squatina), locally known as the angelote, are flat, well‑camouflaged sharks that live on sandy seabeds. They are part of one of the most threatened shark families in the world, because of their shallow habitat, low reproductive rates and long lifespans.

 

In the Canary Islands, this species is considered a global stronghold, with Lanzarote in particular known for regular sightings by divers and fishers. Since 2019, angel sharks have been listed as “in danger of extinction” in Canary Island waters, which means it is strictly forbidden to kill, capture, disturb or trade them, or to damage their breeding areas.

 

Experts stress that angel sharks are not dangerous to humans and do not actively attack people. Most bites occur when the animal is accidentally stepped on or feels threatened.

 

To reduce the risk, experts recommend shuffling your feet gently through the sand when walking into the sea in areas where angel sharks may be present. That simple movement can alert the animal and give it time to swim away, helping to avoid surprise encounters and defensive bites.

 

Image: wikicommons