Heart-stopping footage has captured the moment a tiger shark swam into ankle-deep water, coming face-to-face with an unsuspecting dog wading in the shallows.
The clip shows the striped shark moving through clear blue water just meters from the sand in Perth, Western Australia.
As the shark enters ankle-height water, a dog – a groodle named Olive – can be seen standing in front of it.
The two come within centimeters of each other before quickly reacting.
The dog can be seen darting back towards the beach while the shark thrashes as it turns and swims back out to deeper water.
The dramatic encounter lasted only a few seconds, but left viewers stunned by just how close the shark came to shore.
The incredible shot was filmed and posted to Instagram by passionate drone flyer, Lexo Aveleyra.
seenbylexo/Instagram
“Yesterday, on a 104° summer day with storms rolling through parts of Perth, ️ I headed to the beach for a swim, then stayed to relax and fly my drone,” she wrote in the caption.
“I spotted a beautiful tiger shark, one of many that return to our coastline around this time of year. Whether they’re resting, nursing, or simply passing through — they are here.
“I followed the shark as it cruised toward shallower water, waiting for it to surface for a clean shot. Suddenly, it turned back — likely sensing movement in the water.
“To my complete surprise, the shark went in to investigate a beautiful groodle named Olive, who had done the same. A brief, face-to-face encounter.
“Watching this unfold on my controller left me shocked, and I briefly lost framing. I knew I had just captured a rare moment.
seenbylexo/Instagram
“Sharks are in their natural environment. Entering the ocean — whether swimming, surfing, or walking a dog — is always a personal choice. Signs or no signs, awareness is what matters. We all know what lives in the ocean,” she said.
“Wow that was right up to the shoreline! So unsafe,” wrote one viewer.
“This is such a close call, but absolutely stunning footage,” said another.
“And people roll their eyes at me when I tell them I don’t let my dogs do any sea or river swimming,” weighed in a third.
Tiger sharks are known to move into shallow coastal waters, particularly in the warmer months, where they often hunt stingrays, fish and turtles.