Sharks are not to be played around with. When we are in the ocean, we are on their home turf, and while some might not be dangerous, there are those animals who wouldn’t think twice about taking us about it. While fatal shark attacks are rare, there have been many scary stories told over the years. One of those has recently been reported on, with a marine biologist recalling how a shark attempted to take a bite out of his head.

First things first: Sharks rarely see humans as prey. Many times, people mistake humans for turtles or other animals, for example, when surfers are paddling on their boards. However, that doesn’t mean one shouldn’t have great respect for sharks and be cautious around them.

According to USA Today’s shark tracking, compiled from data from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) and TrackingSharks.com, 12 reported shark attacks had occurred in American waters up until this year’s incident in Gusut. More than half of these incidents took place in Florida, and the second-highest number occurred in South Carolina.

Shark attacks happen at many other locations around the world, and one who recently had to go through an incredibly shocking event was Marine Scientist Dr. Mauricio Hoyos from Mexico.

In late September, he descended into the waters off the Cocos Islands, located approximately 100 miles southwest of Costa Rica, where he was working on applying tags to sharks for conservation research.

However, the calm, scientific journey turned dramatic in seconds. Hoyos had a nine-foot-long Galápagos shark that came back to him after destroying a pole with a tag on it.

Marine biologist recalls terrifying moment a shark tried swallowing his head

As it passed the scientist, it turned around, opening its mouth and revealing its jaws. In an interview with The New York Times, Mauricio Hoyos recalled the shocking incident.

“She turned sideways in my direction; it was really fast. It was wide open; my whole head was inside of her mouth in less than a second,” Hoyos said, admitting he heard a cracking sound.

He was lucky this time around. It wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, with the scientist explaining it was “just pressure.”

“But it was just pressure. As soon as she felt my skull, she released me. She opened and swam away,” he added.

While it might not have been the deepest of bites, it was still enough to draw blood, as a mix of blood and water then began to fill his mask. Additionally, the shark’s teeth had severed the air hose in his scuba gear.

Mauricio Hoyos hadn’t been bitten that seriously, but still, it drew blood to mix with water and filled his scuba mask. Moreover, the shark’s teeth had damaged the air hose of his scuba gear.

“She could have killed me”

He was confused and, due to the blood/water mix, partially blind; he sensed that the shark wasn’t coming back and had disappeared.

“I saw the shadow twice in front of me. If she wanted, she could have killed me, ” he added.

Hoyos luckily made it back to the boat and to the Cocos Island, where he received first aid. He received a total of 27 injuries, one for each of the shark’s 27 teeth that took a bite into his flesh. They included slice wounds on his scalp, punctures to his face, and a jaw surgery.

We are so glad Mauricio made it out alive. Please share this article if you also are fascinated by the ocean.