Pregnant 13-15 foot great white shark washes ashore Navarre Beach
A great white shark was discovered after it washed up along the shore at Navarre Beach Friday morning.
The Navarre Beach Fire Rescue confirmed on Facebook that it was working with crews to remove the deceased, pregnant shark, estimated to be between 13 and 15 feet long and 1,500 pounds.
Navarre Beach Fire Rescue District Fire Chief Danny Fureigh told the News Journal that a team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was coming out to the site to collect blood samples of the shark, but a necropsy would not be conducted.
The exact cause of death is unknown, but Fureigh said crews found some hooks in the shark's mouth.
The shark was scanned for tags but none were found.
Last year: Video shows shark at Navarre Beach get too close for comfort with swimmers
Are great white sharks native to Florida waters?
Somewhat. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, great whites in the U.S. Atlantic can swim as far north as Maine and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean.
Of course, great white sharks are found worldwide in temperate and subtropical waters. Along the west coast, they can be found between Alaska, California and Hawaii, too.
How big are great white sharks?
Great white sharks are one of the largest species of sharks, according to Oceana. They can grow to an estimated maximum length of 20 feet and weigh over 4,000 pounds, which is equivalent to the lower end of a midsize SUV.
How fast are great white sharks?
Great white sharks aren’t just big, they’re fast, too. They are capable of swimming long distances and can swim up to 35 mph, according to the Smithsonian.
Are great white sharks aggressive?
Perhaps the 1975 film Jaws is to blame for the perception that great white sharks are voracious man-eaters, but it’s somewhat of a myth.
While it’s true that great white sharks are one of the top three shark species most likely to injure humans, according to the International Shark Attack File report, the reality is that sharks, in general, aren’t that interested in humans as a food source.
According to the National History Museum, fewer than 17% of unprovoked attacks by great white sharks have been fatal since records began in 1580.
Out of the 949 reported unprovoked attacks, great sharks make up 351 of them or about 37% of those attacks.
Other shark species have fewer unprovoked attacks, but a higher percentage of those attacks end up fatal. About 38% of unprovoked tiger shark attacks have ended up fatal, and fatal bull shark attacks occur 27% of the time, for example.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Great white shark on Navarre Beach: 13-15 pound pregnant shark found
