Great white shark weighing 1500 pounds washes up on beach in Florida
A shark about 15 feet long has washed up on a popular beach in Florida's Panhandle region, prompting speculation about what may have killed it. The discovery was reported by the Navarre Beach Fire and Rescue, which identified the predator as a white shark. Navarre Beach is located about 25 miles east of Pensacola.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed the apex predator rolling out of the surf in a residential area, and it quickly attracted the attention of a crowd. Santa Rosa County workers tied the shark to an excavator and pulled it away. This was reported by miamiherald.com.
"The shark is now in the custody of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which will take it to its laboratory in Panama," said county officials.
The female shark was estimated at 1500 pounds. There were no obvious signs of trauma on the carcass, but marine researchers note that "a fish hook is stuck in its jaw, so there is a possibility of mortality after release."
According to officials, the shark is suspected to be about 30 years old, which is considered an immature age for a female shark. NOAA Fisheries Southeast has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Great white sharks are known to travel along the east coast and into the Gulf of Mexico in winter, experts say. According to the OCEARCH research agency, migration is associated with the search for prey and warmer waters. However, it is believed that mating near Outer Banks in North Carolina may also be one of the reasons why sharks head south every year. According to NOAA Fisheries, white sharks can reach 21 feet and 4500 pounds.
Earlier TravelWise reported that scientists have found a fossil of a proterosaur that is more than 240 million years old.