BARBARIC! Divers discover DEAD baby Blacktip sharks with multiple stab wounds floating in the sea
WARNING: This article contains graphic description. Discretion is advised.
PULAU HANTU, SINGAPORE: Divers spotted lifeless baby sharks, which had been stabbed to death, floating in the sea. At least eight Blacktip sharks with stab wounds were discovered by them in Pulau Hantu in Singapore, which is famous for its shallow lagoons. "We are saddened today with diver reports on dead juvenile blacktip sharks seen at Pulau Hantu," conservation group Marine Stewards said on Sunday, August 28, 2022, according to The Sun.
As per the reports, the divers spotted the baby sharks around the same area in Hantu Jetty, some 11 meters underwater. The mouths of these dead creatures were ripped apart and all had puncture wounds near their gills. Marine Stewards believes the little sharks were initially caught in a net, where they were "spiked to death" with hooks before being dumped back in the ocean. Blacktip sharks don't usually pose a threat to humans due to their timid nature.
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'Disgusting!': Video of two men dragging and stabbing live blacktip shark met with backlash
On its website, Wild Singapore said, "In Singapore, our sharks are threatened by overfishing by recreational fishermen, trapped in nets or traps. None of the shark species recorded for Singapore, however, are listed as threatened in the latest Red Data Book."
Pulau Hantu, which is made up of two islets Pulau Hantu Besar and Pulau Hantu Kechil, is famous for its snorkeling. Adventure junkies travel to the area to snorkel or dive with sea turtles, whale sharks, and dolphins.
Asian countries are infamously famous for consuming wide variety of aquatic creatures while they are still alive. In South Korea and Vietnam, people often eat live octopuses and squids. Shark fin is a delicacy in some Asian cultures, including Singapore, where many restaurants still serve shark fins on their menus. The barbaric practice, which includes removing the fins while the animal is still alive before throwing the wounded shark back in the ocean, has pushed many shark species on the edge of extinction.
In Singapore, sharks can be seen by divers during intertidal trips to Singapore's southern submerged reefs. In 2019, the country's Parliament dismissed a politician's call to ban shark fin from public sector events.
MEAWW previously reported a shark was purportedly dragged out of shallow water by beachgoers on an Italian island so that they could take selfies with it. The disturbing incident was captured on camera in June 2022, near the Fontanamare beachfront in the Sardinian town of Gonnesa. The unfortunate animal is believed to have been a blue shark, a species that is generally seen as harmless to humans.
After other beachgoers voiced their complaints to the people who hauled the shark ashore, the shark was eventually put back in the sea. Social media users were outraged by the video and blasted the beachgoers for their cruelty. One witness wrote, "I was present there," and claimed that the beachgoers had actually "saved" the shark's life. "The shark beached itself quite a few times. In the end, it was possible to bring it to safety thanks to the smart guys there."