Shock as tiger shark spotted in shallows at Monkey Mia, WA

Hair-raising footage has showed a tiger shark racing towards shore, getting closer to the sand than many thought was possible.

Beachgoers have been shocked by hair-raising footage that showed a tiger shark hunting in far shallower water than many people thought was possible.

The video, which was shot at Monkey Mia beach on the Peron Peninsula in WA, showed a large tiger shark racing towards shore in a frenzied hunt.

The shark momentarily beached itself on the sand and thrashed to get free, before hurtling back out towards deeper water.

The shark raced towards shore at incredible speed. Picture: Facebook

It momentarily beached itself and thrashed to get free. Picture: Facebook

The shark appeared to have been chasing a sea turtle that had scurried towards the safety of land. The turtle appeared to have escaped the encounter.

The Aussie woman who shared the video to social media said she was “in shock” afterwards but called the moment one of the “best of her life” – despite her family swimming “waist-deep” in that same spot “not long before”.

Another woman said: “Oh my god! It comes into the sand at such speed too. If you saw it, you’d not be able to move in time.”

“Surely they don’t usually come to shore,” added another.

“How privileged to witness nature going about her business,” commented a third.

Tiger sharks are one of few species considered highly dangerous to humans.

Though the footage was shocking to many viewers, the behaviour is not unusual for tiger sharks, according to environmental scientist Daryl McPhee.

“Tiger sharks are specialists at eating marine turtles and are one of the few natural predators adult sea turtles have,” Dr McPhee told Yahoo.

“It is absolutely common for them to get that close [to shore] where turtles are feeding or nesting.”

Tiger sharks are one of just three species considered highly dangerous to humans, responsible for – along with bull sharks and great whites – almost all fatal encounters.

Dr McPhee said, while this shark appeared focused on the turtle, the video was a “good reminder for people to be wary when swimming near where turtles are nesting or where there is turtle activity”.