Man rushed to hospital after suspected WA shark attack

A man in his 30s has been rushed to hospital after a suspected shark attack off the coast of Western Australia.

Authorities were alerted to a possible shark bite incident at Lucy's Beach in the city of Greater Geraldton, north of Perth, at about 7.30am on Sunday morning.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is investigating the incident and is urging the public to heed any potential warnings or beach closures in the area.

A St John WA spokesperson said a man in his 30s suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the ABC reports. The man is reportedly recovering in Geraldton Hospital.

DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available. It is asking the public to take additional caution when entering the water in the Greenough area.

Australia saw an increase in shark sightings over the summer. Currently there are seven shark barriers in Western Australia aimed at reducing the risk of shark encounters, but it's believed there was not one where the latest suspected incident took place.

In February a Perth teenager was killed by a bull shark while swimming in the Swan River in Perth. Stella Berry, 16, had been riding a jet ski when she jumped into the water to swim with dolphins. It was the first fatal shark attack in the area in over a century.

The rise in shark sightings could be due to climate change Professor Charlie Huveneers, Research Leader of the Southern Shark Ecology Group at Flinders University, previously told Yahoo News Australia. Warmer waters are pushing sharks into new locations, he said.

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