Clues left on surfboard help identify shark that killed Maui surfer, experts say

A shark that fatally attacked a 56-year-old surfer off Maui left some vital clues behind, Hawaii experts say.

Robin Warren of Napili died Dec. 9, one day after being bitten by a shark while surfing at Honolua Bay, Maui Now reported. The attack canceled the second day of competition at the nearby Maui Pro professional women’s surfing event.

Scientists tested the shark’s mucus, retrieved from a bite mark on Warren’s surfboard, and identified it as a tiger shark, Hawaii News Now reports.

“When a shark bites onto a surfboard or something like that, they have a mucus layer inside their mouth that’s actually pretty sticky,” said Derek Kraft of the University of Hawaii, KHON reported.

Scientists matched DNA from the mucus to a database of shark species, identifying it as a tiger shark, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported.

Measurements of the bite mark left in Warren’s surfboard suggest the shark is 14 feet long, KHON reported.

“I feel like when you lose somebody like that, you generally want to know as much information about the situation as you can,” Kraft said, Hawaii News Now reported. “So, this at least lets us give them the fullest picture to our ability.”

Shark expert Carl Meyer said researchers also hope to someday use more precise information about shark attacks to reduce risks to swimmers and others on the ocean, according to the Star Advertiser.

Tiger sharks can reach up to 14 feet in length and weigh up to 1,400 pounds, National Geographic reports. Named for the “dark, vertical stripes found mainly on juveniles,” tiger sharks are second only to great whites in attacks on humans.

This story was originally published December 20, 2020 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Clues left on surfboard help identify shark that killed Maui surfer, experts say."