Strange creature caught by Florida anglers identified as deformed predator, state says
A prehistoric-looking fish caught in Florida waters has been identified as a “peculiar” bull shark by marine biologists.
Bull sharks are supposed to be “thick and stocky,” but this one is twisted, more like an eel in motion.
It was dubbed a “(squiggly) shark” by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
“The shark appears to have some form of scoliosis or spinal deformity affecting the vertebral column,” FWC officials wrote in a June 14 Facebook post.
“While the condition is rare, our team has encountered similar anomalies in other shark and bony fish species. ... Our team has x-ray images of other specimens ... where you can see the strange shape of the vertebral column.”
The shark was caught near Titusville, about 40 miles east of Orlando, and photos seeking an explanation were submitted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Titusville parallels the Indian River along the state’s Atlantic Coast.
Brian Tittle said he and his son were fishing in the Indian River — directly across from the launch pads at the John F. Kennedy Space Center — when his son caught the shark on June 3. They used a ladyfish as bait, he said.
“It took a full hour to reel it in,” Tittle said. “We’ve been fishing all our lives. As soon as we saw it .... we just knew it wasn’t right. I notified a friend at FWC research to get answers.”
The anglers released the shark after taking photos, noting they would “feel bad keeping this one.”
Bull sharks grow to about 11 feet in Florida waters and can weigh 500 pounds, according to state officials. They roam “estuarine, nearshore and offshore waters” and are known to venture “hundreds of miles inland via coastal river systems,” FWC reports.
“Bull sharks are more aggressive than most shark species and responsible for many unprovoked attacks on humans worldwide,” the FWC reports.
“Some experts consider them to be more dangerous than white or tiger sharks, accounting for the third highest number of attacks on humans.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2024 at 7:27 AM with the headline "Strange creature caught by Florida anglers identified as deformed predator, state says."