Fishermen group jumps in ocean to rescue bronze whaler shark that had 'six hooks' stuck to its mouth
MANDURAH, AUSTRALIA: A bunch of Australian fishermen have received praise online for jumping into the water to rescue a shark that was in trouble and had "six hooks" in its mouth. The men found the shark in the Dawesville Channel in Mandurah, Western Australia, on Thursday, March 9, and instantly saw it had become tangled up in "sinkers, fishing line and seaweed."
In the footage of the rescue operation, two men are seen in the water, one of them holding down a bronze whaler shark while the other appeared to be using pliers to pry out the hooks stuck in the shark. A woman was recording the scene, which has since gone viral on TikTok, as several people can be heard watching on from the shore. "He's got hooks all over him," one said seeing one of the men opens the shark's mouth, which he exclaims is "cut to bits."
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'This is living like a proper Aussie'
@nikkimoscardini86 Saved this BRONZE WHALER today, got 6 hooks out of its mouth all tangled up with sinkers, fishing line and seaweed! Dawesville Cut #fishingaustralia #shark #savethesharks #perthtiktok #viralvideo #fyp #foryourpage #fishingtiktoks #fishaustralia @Aussies Gone Wild 🇦🇺 #viraltiktok #foryoupageofficiall ♬ original sound - Nikki Mosco
"Poor bugger!" an onlooker said. The men were able to get rid of the hooks, so they "let loose" and sent the shark swimming off in the direction of open water. The video has received thousands of comments from viewers, many of whom called the fisherman "absolute legends" for intervening so promptly to relieve the shark's suffering. A person wrote, "You're the best shark fisherman you can get. Letting them go back in better condition than they come in. Well done!" "On ya boys! This is living like a proper Aussie," another said, while someone joked, "That shark's calmer than me [at] the dentist."
Bronze whalers are common in Western Australian waters
Bronze whalers are commonly found in Western Australian waters. This is because they feed on schooling fish, which are frequently seen close to shore, and that explains why this particular shark was so close to the rocks. Also known as a copper shark, bronze whalers are huge with a long moderately rounded broad snout, and a bulge at the base of the upper caudal fin. They are also found around offshore islands over deep water and to depths of 100 meters, frequently within the surf zone.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.