Finetooth Shark Dies on Florida Beach

Featured Image Credit: worldlifeexpectancy.com

A shark recently washed onto a Florida beach with an odd attachment. The shark’s body had a hat attached to its head.

The shark was a finetooth shark, which is a common migrant shark at this time of year. Currently, the species is migrating along the coast from North Carolina to Brazil seeking warmer winter waters. The dead shark was approximately 6 feet long, but the hat was its likely cause of death. That’s right, a small plastic hat is capable of killing a shark.

The death was reported to FWC’s Fish Kills Hotline and St. John’s County staff responded to the scene.

The plastic string was wrapped tightly near the shark’s gills. It was a sad sight to see such an awesome creature just completely defeated by plastic trash.

According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “ Although the cause of death is undetermined without a necropsy of the animals, this is another great example of how plastic marine debris is not just a global issue, but a local one as well.”

It is just another marine creature lost to the destruction of human plastic. Everyone can be a part of the solution by cleaning up waterways, using less plastic, and recycling our plastic responsibly. Please make an effort to help marine animals everywhere!

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