A tiger shark that was the target of a hunt by state and city search teams using a helicopter, rescue boats and personal watercraft probably left the area immediately after attacking an Ohio man Thursday, according to a state shark expert.

"It used to be thought that (tiger sharks) were fairly territorial and they would hang around in a particular area," said Randy Honebrink, an investigative shark resource coordinator for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Shark Task Force. "But now we know that especially after they've been disturbed, they'll take off."

The attack on Harvey Miller, a lawyer from Toledo, was the first on the Windward side in 49 years. Shark attacks overall occur so rarely that it's almost impossible to develop an attack pattern, Honebrink said.

The tiger shark that bit Miller "was probably in a feeding mode and looking for something to eat," he said.

In addition to attacking Miller, Honebrink said officials believe the shark also bit and killed two turtles, which later washed up on the Lanikai and Bellows shores.

"We never know what the shark was doing right before it bites somebody," he said.

Photos of the turtles were sent to the International Shark Attack File in Florida, where officials confirmed they were most likely killed by an 8-foot tiger shark.

Based on its estimated size, Honebrink believes it was a juvenile shark in a transitionary stage, traveling and feeding alone and adding turtles to its list of prey.

It's unknown whether sharks mistake people for turtles or seals, but Honebrink believes tiger sharks are more discriminating, although they do kill prey on the surface.

"The only way that a shark can tell if something is a potential food source is by biting it."

With a shark's sharp teeth, powerful jaws and the weight of its head, a tiger shark can do a lot of damage, he said.

Miller was bitten while snorkeling off Bellows Beach. He remains at The Queen's Medical Center.

After nearly five hours conducting air and water searches yesterday, the DLNR, Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu lifeguards called off the shark warnings at 12:43 p.m., but continued to discourage people from entering the water.

Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's emergency services department, cautioned beachgoers to remain watchful today, and to alert lifeguards immediately if they see anything that might be a shark. People at beaches without a lifeguard should call 911 to report a possible shark, he said.

Shark warning signs were posted at Waikiki Beach near the Halekulani Hotel last night as a precaution after an unconfirmed sighting of a shark, police said.

Someone reported seeing a 5-foot white tip shark, which is not known to be dangerous. Police said although signs generally are not posted based on unconfirmed sightings, officials wanted to be cautious in the wake of the shark attack at Bellows Beach.

Thursday's attack was the first reported shark attack off O'ahu in 16 months. On March 23, 2006, a Vancouver, B.C., woman survived a shark bite to her left calf while surfing at Left Overs, a surf spot a mile south of Waimea Bay.