Rare Shark Swarm Causes Closure Of Alabama Beach
- 10 years ago
Swimmers and sun bathers in or near the waters of Orange Beach in Alabama recently got the shock of a lifetime. Not just one shark, but a whole swarm of them were spotted close to the shore.
Swimmers and sun bathers in or near the waters of Orange Beach in Alabama recently got the shock of a lifetime. Not just one shark, but a whole swarm of them were spotted close to the shore.
Fire and rescue crews quickly ordered people out of the water. Red flags were hung on numerous state beaches after the reports of shark sightings spread. The flags make it illegal for anyone to enter the water.
Approximately 150 sharks were seen in close proximity to each other. Many ranged in size from 6 to 7 feet long while other sharks were as small as 3 feet.
Orange Beach Fire and Rescue staffers patrolled the water to keep track of the shark count.
Melvin Shepard, who works as a beach safety director noted - “I think what fishing boats are doing is, once they get back to the marinas, they're cleaning the fish and throwing the remains back into the water. Sharks are going to get free meals as much as they can. A couple of hundred 100 snapper carcasses floating around makes for a good buffet.”
Local officials clarified that the sharks are frequenting only a mile long stretch of Orange Beach and that the closures are a conservative measure, as shark attacks seldom happen.
Swimmers and sun bathers in or near the waters of Orange Beach in Alabama recently got the shock of a lifetime. Not just one shark, but a whole swarm of them were spotted close to the shore.
Fire and rescue crews quickly ordered people out of the water. Red flags were hung on numerous state beaches after the reports of shark sightings spread. The flags make it illegal for anyone to enter the water.
Approximately 150 sharks were seen in close proximity to each other. Many ranged in size from 6 to 7 feet long while other sharks were as small as 3 feet.
Orange Beach Fire and Rescue staffers patrolled the water to keep track of the shark count.
Melvin Shepard, who works as a beach safety director noted - “I think what fishing boats are doing is, once they get back to the marinas, they're cleaning the fish and throwing the remains back into the water. Sharks are going to get free meals as much as they can. A couple of hundred 100 snapper carcasses floating around makes for a good buffet.”
Local officials clarified that the sharks are frequenting only a mile long stretch of Orange Beach and that the closures are a conservative measure, as shark attacks seldom happen.