DNA testing proves California teen was bitten by great white shark

SAN DIEGO (AP)—DNA testing has revealed the shark that attacked a 13-year-old boy last month off a Southern California shore was a great white, according to a report. Scientists gathered the shark’s DNA by swabbing the wet suit Keane Webre-Hayes wore when he was bitten while diving for lobsters near Encinitas, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The bite on Sept. 29 tore his back, shoulder, torso, face and ear. The teen was released from a hospital after surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. Witnesses estimated the shark was about 11 feet (3 meters) long. Chris Lowe, director of Long Beach State University’s Shark Lab, said in a statement that while “shark bite incidents are exceedingly rare,” swimmers should be aware that more large sharks move along the coast during the fall season. Southern California is a known nursery area for white sharks. The lab test used to confirm the DNA is similar to a new procedure being developed that can detect a shark’s environmental DNA in ocean water samples, the newspaper said. Environmental DNA — or eDNA — can be found in cellular materials left behind by sharks and other animals. Researchers hope to develop a species-specific test that could be used by lifeguards to detect what type of...