Bull shark found ‘defiled’ on beach with sunglasses. Florida officials investigate
Wildlife officials are investigating after a video of a dead bull shark “defiled” on a Florida beach spread on social media.
The video, posted on TikTok by a user named @alwayzfishing, shows the dead shark wearing sunglasses and with writing on its body in black marker.
“Seriously?” a man can be heard saying. “Who thought this was even funny?”
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were notified about the shark on Sept. 2, according to agency spokeswoman Melissa Smith.
The shark had been left under an overpass bridge south of Fort Myers on Florida’s west coast. The location is about 140 miles northwest of Miami.
“The (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) takes potential resource violations very seriously and encourages the public to report them by calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922,” Smith wrote.
Bull sharks are a “regulated species,” Smith said. Fishermen are allowed to catch one per person or two per vessel each day. A violation of the limit is considered a second-degree misdemeanor and can carry a fine of $1,000 or up to 60 days in jail.
Male bull sharks can grow to be 7 feet and females can grow to be 11 feet, according to the National Wildlife Federation. They can be found in coastal waters around the world, and in the U.S., they’re found on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
On Sept. 6, a woman snorkeling in the Bahamas died after a bull shark bit her.
Video of live shark being stabbed, cut open draws outrage. Why that’s legal in Florida
13-foot shark that vanished off Florida in 2021 is rediscovered 1,000 miles away
‘I felt teeth pierce my skull.’ Florida firefighter describes horrifying gator attack
