A young woman suffered a bite from a baby angel shark on Sunday afternoon, after accidentally stepping on the animal hidden beneath the sand while swimming off a beach in Lanzarote.
The incident happened at around 4:00pm on one of the beaches in Playa Honda, in the municipality of San Bartolomé. According to witnesses, the young shark was completely camouflaged in the shallow sandy seabed when she unknowingly stepped on it, triggering a defensive reaction from the animal.
The woman reportedly felt a sudden impact followed by a bite to one of her feet, and witnesses said she had to kick repeatedly to free herself from the shark’s grip.
Although the incident initially caused alarm among beachgoers and there were concerns emergency medical assistance might be needed, the injuries were later confirmed to be minor.
The woman cleaned the wound herself at the scene using soap and water before applying antibiotic cream to prevent infection.
Due to the superficial nature of the injuries, no hospital treatment was required.
Angel sharks common in Canary waters
The angel shark (Squatina squatina) is commonly found in the sandy seabeds around the Canary Islands and is well known for its camouflage abilities. The species often buries itself beneath the sand with only its eyes visible while waiting to ambush prey.
Despite technically belonging to the shark family, experts stress that angel sharks are not considered dangerous to humans and do not actively attack people.
Documented bites almost always occur when the animals are accidentally stepped on or feel threatened.
Experts recommend shuffling feet gently through sandy shallows when entering the sea in areas where angel sharks are known to live.
This movement helps alert the animals to human presence and gives them time to swim away naturally, reducing the risk of accidental contact.
