Australian Surfer Loses Leg in Shark Attack

Kai McKenzie, 23, survived a brush with a shark while surfing at North Shore Beach in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia. The shark severely injured his right leg, but he fought it off and made it to shore.

• A GoFundMe page has been set up to support his recovery, with a target of $250,000 AUD; so far, $173,852 AUD has been raised.
• McKenzie is in stable condition and has been posting about his experience on Instagram.
• In one Instagram post, he thanks donors, saying, "It’s so cool to see so many beautiful people support me... I wanted to say a massive thanks to everyone for your generous donations."
• According to the BBC, officials identified the shark as a nearly 10-foot-long great white—the "biggest shark I’ve ever seen," McKenzie recalled.
• Shark attacks are rare. In context, there were 15 shark attacks in Australia in 2023, per the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File.
• The museum also reports that from 2004 to 2013, there were 341,294 rip current rescues versus 379 shark attacks.
• Smithsonian Magazine and National Geographic assert that sharks are intelligent and curious, sometimes taking a "taste test" of unfamiliar things—which, unfortunately, can include humans.