9-Foot Shark Found On Beach With Stomach Cut Open, Teeth, Jaw Removed

A 9-foot tiger shark was found on a South Carolina beach with its stomach cut open and its teeth and jaw apparently removed. The mutilated shark was discovered on the beach of an undeveloped island north of Hilton Head Island by a sea turtle protection team.

According to reports, the team sent the photo to state officials for further investigation as the incident was “perplexing” local experts.

Bryan Frazier, a shark biologist at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), told The State the shark appeared to have weighed between 200 and 300 pounds. He added that the shark seemed to have been cut open by a human and it was not done by scientists.

“They eviscerated it... with a straight-line cut that wasn’t done by an animal,” Frazier told the outlet. “It’s really a strange thing to do.” The expert also said it appeared the shark’s stomach was removed — possibly to be examined — and the jaws and teeth cut out.

“It’s a bit perplexing to see why anyone would do this,” he said. “You hate to see anything killed for no reason.”

Frazier also said the shark had been dead for a few days by the time officials had heard about it. The body of the animal was also badly decomposed for scientists to use any part of it for research.

Fishing captain Chip Michalove tweeted a picture of the mutilated shark last week.

Chip Michalove, Hilton Head’s “great white shark whisperer” known for catching, tagging and releasing great white sharks, condemned the act calling it “selfish.” Several social media users reacted to the photo, expressing their anger.

“Just wrong! A beautiful fish destroyed for no reason,” someone replied to the photo of the butchered shark. Another person said: “Ignorant people have no respect for wildlife.”