A 21-foot-long adult whale shark was washed up on Sanibel Island. Biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission were on their way to where the body was rolling in the surf to collect samples. "I'm sure they were going to try to determine a cause of death," said Brian Norris, an FWC spokesman. The shark’s cause of death was not immediately known, but Shell Museum biologist Rebecca Mensch said the shark showed no signs of decay and likely died on Saturday night or Sunday morning.
The shore where the shark was found is filled with dead fish as well, causing many to believe that red tide may have been the cause of the animal's death. A red tide releases toxic chemicals that kill marine organisms and can turn the water red. A tissue sample test that can take anywhere from days to weeks to provide results might give the biologists answers as to whether red tide affected the shark, she said.
The shark drew a crowd of dozens of beachgoers, many of whom were snapping pictures and taking video, admiring the giant animal. "You’ve been to like aquariums and stuff and you’re like ‘This is the wildlife’, but seeing it up close and in nature it’s shocking," said Lily Miller, a 16-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, who was visiting Sanibel for the first time with her family. "Especially seeing a huge dead shark. It breaks my heart and it’s not something you ever expect to see."
While whale sharks aren't something you might expect to see on Southwest Florida beaches, they are actually quite common on the other side of the coast, near Mexico. Mensch added that it's hard to tell where the shark was and when it was last healthy, because strong currents and wind could have carried it to Sanibel's shore. The plan is to let the shark decay naturally in the Gulf, Mensch said, warning beachgoers to stay away from the animals.
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