Pictured - Nude swimmer who was attacked by a shark 'after lifeguards accidentally provoked the beast and herded it TOWARDS beachgoers with their jet skis'

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The man attacked by a shark at a south Florida nude beach on Sunday has been identified as Miami local Elvin Lanza, 46.

Lanza had been swimming off Haulover beach and was being called in by lifeguards who'd spotted the shark when he was attacked and bitten on both legs.

To add a bitter twist to the tail, experts are now suggesting that Lanza's mishap may have been caused by lifeguards spooking the animal, according to the Sun Sentinel. 

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Victim: Elvin Lanza (left) was attacked by a shark in Miami on Sunday, sustaining injuries to both legs (right). He was said to be in good spirits after the attack, and left hospital on Monday

Accident: Lifeguards used jetskis to warn swimmers of the shark at around 3.30pm - but an expert said in doing so, they may have accidentally herded it towards the public 

Miami-Dade Fire Ocean Rescue lifeguards said they became aware of a shark lurking in the water around 3.30pm and immediately began telling bathers to get out of the water. Video shows them using jetskis to ride out to swimmers.

That's when Lanza was attacked by what is believed to have been a 4-5-foot bull shark, they said. 

'He was up in the north end of Haulover Beach and he was in the water coming off the sandbar when he noticed the lifeguards were trying to get his attention to come in,' said Lt Matthew Sparling of the Fire Ocean Rescue.

'While he was walking up the sandbar he went through a little deep water and was struck by the shark.'

But George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History, told the Sun Sentinel the attack was probably triggered by the evacuation.

'One beach safety group essentially chased the shark into another beach safety group's territory, using Jetskis,' he said. 

'It was in theory to chase the shark away from people, when in fact I think the Jetski chasing the animal probably aggravated the animal and could very well have contributed to the incident - much like if you corner a dog or a bear or a mountain lion, they're going to lash out at you.'

Gruesome: Lanza was left with grizzly wounds on his legs, but told lifeguards he didn't feel too much pain as they tended to him

Hospitalized: He was taken to nearby Aventura Hospital, where doctors tended to his wounds

That was denied by Sunny Isles Police Captain Mike Grandinetti.

''They didn't herd anything,' he said. 'They used the Jetskis to get the swimmers out of the water. They just followed it. 

'They tried to stay ahead of it to get the swimmers out of the water.'

Lanza was taken to the nearby Aventura Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was discharged on Monday.

His mother, Lilian Garcia, told NBC Miami that Lanza lashed out at the shark with his leg to get it to let go. She said he is now healing.

Speaking Spanish, she said: 'He's recovering, thank God, it was very scary but he's now under God's control and that's what's important.'

Officials said that after it attacked the man, the bull shark swam away.

A witness who saw the shark attack told Local 10 News: 'It started getting closer to the people at the sandbar and they tried to get out.'

'One guy, it went straight towards him and bit his leg, pulled him, gave him a little tug, and I was freaking out.'

Angry: George Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, said lifeguards may have just made the beast angry and frightened, and caused it to lash out at Lanza

Twice bitten: Lanza was attacked as he was leaving the water, and lifeguards helped him onto the beach. Local police said lifeguards were just doing their jobs and wouldn't scare the shark

Lanza was aided by Lifeguards, and took his mauling on the chin. 

'He said that it didn't even hurt, actually,' Sparling told NBC Miami.  

The shark attack is the first reported at Haulover Beach, nine miles north of Miami Beach, officials said. 

Sparling said: 'Although these incidents are rare, we still ask beachgoers to always be aware of their surroundings.

'In my 20 years as a lifeguard, this is the first time a person has been bitten here at Haulover Beach, and possibly the first for Miami-Dade County.' 

According to Fox News, The American Association for Nude Recreation describes the clothing-optional portion of Haulover Beach beach as 'one of the greatest success stories in North American nudism'. 

It adds that it 'attracts thousands of nudists on warm afternoons'. 

Lt Matthew Sparling with the Miami-Dade Fire Ocean Rescue said: 'In my 20 years as a lifeguard, this is the first time a person has been bitten here at Haulover Beach (pictured), and possibly the first for Miami-Dade County'