A 9-year-old boy and a 30-year-old surfer were bitten by sharks in separate attacks on nearby barrier island beaches, authorities said according to The Associated Press. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The attacks happened within an hour of each other Saturday on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County on Florida's east coast. Authorities did not release the names of either victim. The boy was bitten on his right buttock and thigh at Waveland Park, St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Whitaker said. He was treated at a local hospital and released. About an hour later, a surfer on Normandy Beach was bitten on his right ankle, a deep wound serious enough that he was held for observation at a local hospital, Whitaker said. Last year, Florida maintained its status as the world's shark attack capital with 23 recorded attacks, according to a University of Florida study.
