Channel 7: Small Hammerhead Shark Washes Ashore in Sunny Isles (06/11/2012)

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) — Beach goers’ jaws dropped on a South  Florida beach when a shark hit the sands and washed ashore.

A nearly two-and-a-half foot long hammerhead shark tried to beach itself on  Sunny Isles Beach, Sunday.

“There was a guy next to me getting up on a chair, and he was like going  like this, ‘Oh, my God, a shark!'” said one woman.

Beach goers in the area were shocked to see the animal flipping around in  ankle deep water near the shore. “On this beach? No, no, very rarely do sharks  ever come in on the beach,” said one man.

Cell phone video captured the shark performing a death roll-like move while  washing onto shore.

The shark sighting brought in crowds by the dozens- everyone armed with  smart phone in hand capturing the seemingly wounded animal. “And he looked like  he was caught and released before, he was missing a fin,” said Sam Bud, who  witnessed the shark rescue “And they took it down there about a mile in the  middle but he’s gonna swim back this way. He was looking for help.”

One man got up close and personal with the shark and tried to push it back  into the water, yet the hammerhead just struggled too close to the shore.

At some point, two men used their personal watercraft to haul the hammerhead  back into deep open water.

Although some people said the shark was never a danger to people, others  found it disturbing. “We were actually pretty surprised how close it go to us,”  said Cody Schurgin.

Hammerheads could potentially be dangerous, though they rarely attack  humans. Wildlife experts say you should always call authorities rather than to  help a beached shark yourself.

To read the entire story and see a video, please go to: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21007706539252/hammerhead-shark-washes-ashore/

Read more: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21007706539252/hammerhead-shark-washes-ashore/#ixzz1ycfdaZkY

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