Great white sharks can strike fear in the hearts of beachgoers, but one in particular drew a rather sad crowd this week in Navarre, Fla.
According to Navarre Fire and Rescue, the deceased 13 to 15-foot Great White was pregnant and beached on the sand. Crews helped remove her from the area.
“Female white sharks reach sexual maturity around 33 years old, with males reaching maturity at approximately 26 years old. Females give live birth to their pups, with litter sizes reportedly ranging from 2-17 individuals. A white shark pup is about 4 feet long when born,” Oceana explained about the sharks. “White sharks reproduce slowly, with a female giving birth only once about every three years. These low reproductive rates are just one factor that contributes to the white shark’s vulnerable status. Though they are apex predators with very few natural threats, human-made threats such as bycatch and the cruel practice of shark finning have had a significant impact on the white shark’s population status.”
A video shared online appeared to show crews removing the shark. WEAR news reported that Navarre Beach Fire Rescue received a call about the shark at around 7:10 a.m. It also said that the shark weighed an estimated 1,500 pounds.
Per the WEAR report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducted an investigation of the incident.