Divers Remove a Fist-Sized Hook From a Shark's Mouth–By Hand
Dramatic photos show a diver gently pulling a large hook out of a shark's mouth, but scientists say the act may not have been necessary.
Shark diving is a popular hobby in the Caribbean, where the animals are easily drawn in by the smell of bait in the water.
One group in Florida regularly dives to catalog, observe and coexist with the creatures they see as harmless fish. This time, they saw the opportunity to help a shark in need.
One day while diving, two of the divers saw a hook in a lemon shark’s mouth. While one diver took pictures, the other stroked the shark’s sensitive nose to subdue it and carefully removed the hook. (Read about a photographer who interfered to save a bald eagle.)
George Burgess, a shark scientist from the University of Florida, said the act was kind, but misguided.
“The fact of the
