Sharks Found Dead, Finned In Miami Beach
Two sharks have been found dead in as many days along the Miami Beach coastline, and one of the predators was missing its fin, a complication that local officials assert they haven’t seen in some time.
On Wednesday morning, residents discovered a large bull shark had washed ashore, according to WSVN. Measuring between six and eight-feet-long, the bull shark was discovered at South Pointe Park, and it remains unclear how the predator found its way onto the beach. According to Local 10, officials believe the shark may have been caught and released by a local fisherman before washing ashore.
Bull shark en miami beach pic.twitter.com/NROZuWl8bg
— Inigo urbano (@inigourbano) February 25, 2015
The shark’s remains were removed from the beach, lifted onto a flatbed truck as bystanders captured photographs. Malcello Montino, an onlooker, marveled at the shark’s presence.
“It’s very surprising because we found this shark dead on the beach, and my son called me, ‘Come, come, father, to watch this shark’,” he said. “Very surprising. It’s the first time we found a shark on South Beach.”
On Tuesday, another shark was discovered on a local beach, albeit under different circumstances. That specimen was a hammerhead, measuring roughly seven-feet-long, and officials noted that the shark’s fin had been removed. John Ripple, of Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, pointed out the rarity of such a find.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen that,” he asserted.
RT @earthrace: Finned hammerhead washes up in Miami. Saddest sight in the world. @SeaSaveTweet http://t.co/RKIv2X6yfE pic.twitter.com/NVeLC8OCBV
— Jaymi Heimbuch (@JaymiHeimbuch) February 26, 2015
As the Inquisitr has previously reported, the practice of shark finning is widespread globally, though it has been outlawed in many countries. Last year, Massachusetts became the ninth state to ban the practice, which involves poachers catching sharks specifically to harvest their fins. All too often, the sharks are alive when their fins are removed, and the predators are thrown back into the sea to die a slow and painful death from trauma and asphyxiation.
Some Miami Beach residents expressed little surprise at the presence of sharks in the region. Dennis Ayara, who allowed that the sight of a shark dead on the beach was unusual, asserted that the animals pose little danger.
“They’re friendly, I said. People don’t know… they’re all friendly. They don’t bother us. We don’t bother them. They belong in the ocean,” he said.
Ayara also jokingly pointed out that, despite the sharks found dead and finned on their beaches, swimmers in the region were unlikely to stay out of the water.
“Keep swimming, though. No matter what. With shark or without shark.”
[Image via WSVN]
