Human remains found inside shark in the Bahamas

by Kraig Becker on

Last weekend, three fishermen in the Bahamas got more than they bargained for when they reeled in a 12-foot long tiger shark along the Exuma archipelago. At first glance, it seemed like just another catch, but later, when they cut it open, they made the grim discovery of two human arms and two legs, plus a torso in the shark’s stomach. The fisherman say that they believed the remains were that of a man, although there were no distinguishing features to be seen.

At this time, the identify of the victim is still unknown, and DNA tests are being conducted. Bahamian police say they’re also working to determine if the man was alive or dead when he was eaten, as tiger sharks seldom attack humans while they are alive. They also confirmed that two people have been reported missing in the region lately, although they haven’t ruled out the possibility of a local sailor having their boat capsize while attempting to make the arduous journey to Florida.

Shark experts say that while the tiger shark isn’t overly aggressive, they have been known to attack humans on rare occasions, and when they do, those attacks are seldom fatal. As you can imagine, officials in the Bahamas are also quick to downplay the attack and are reminding visitors to the islands that their warm, tropical waters are completely safe.

Just in case though, you may want to stick to the pool for awhile.

[Photo credit: Albert Kok]

Sharks Get Violent at Dubai Mall Aquarium

by Josh Lew on

Come shop in the mall recently built in the shadow of the Dubai Burj, the world’s tallest building. You will enjoy over 1,200 of the world’s finest shops and a huge, glittery gold market…and see a 10-million liter aquarium in which divers and small fish are ravaged by gigantic sharks.

The aggressive sharks are part of a 33,000 specimen tank at the 12-million-square-foot Dubai Burj Mall. The tank includes an acrylic tunnel that people can walk through and gaze up at the aquatic life. The mall’s grand opening was marred when the large sand sharks attacked and killed nearly 40 smaller sharks. I doubt that the mall’s goal was to remind people of the casual brutality of nature before they began browsing through the world’s largest gold market. I’m sure the goal was spectacle, but naturally aggressive sand sharks do not mix well with other sharks in a closed environment. Divers performing maintenance on the interior of the tank have also been attacked, though no fatalities have been reported.

Zihuatanejo, Mexico under attack by sharks

by Jeffrey White on

Zihuatanejo, that magical sounding Mexican town I first heard mentioned in a Stephen King novella, is under attack by at least one, and perhaps a handful, of sharks.

There have been three attacks in the waters off the coast of the resort town in less than a month, and two people have died. The most recent incident happened this past weekend, when the owner of a local surfing shop, Bruce Grimes, had his armed chomped by a sharp as he was out surfing the break. Luckily, he was able to escape relatively unharmed.

“There wasn’t any time to panic,” he said. “I thought: ‘Don’t want to die. Don’t want to lose my arm’,” he tells the Associated Press.

What you have right now is a panic in Zihuatanejo right out of the movie Jaws, with local officials closing local stretches of water and hiring fishermen to hunt sharks; dozens of sharks have been pulled out of the water and killed, which has raised the ire of animal rights activists.

Shark experts right now are studying the attacks in Zihuatanejo, trying to figure out why they are happening. So far, they haven’t come up with any answers, and they have not concluded what kind of shark(s) is/are responsible.

But they are trying to allay fear. Says one expert to the AP, you’re more likely to die of food poisoning visiting Mexico than be attacked by a shark.

Official worldwide shark files say only around four people die in attacks each year.

Last month, Iva wrote about a Great White shark off the coast of San Diego.