SICK beachgoers drag small Blue shark out of the water by its tail to snap SELFIES
A shark was purportedly dragged out of shallow water by beachgoers on an Italian island so that they could snap selfies with it. The disturbing incident was captured on camera last week 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."
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Enrico Rizzi, an advocate for animal rights, has now retained a law company to check on the situation, according to local media. Lawyer Alessio Cugini Borgese said, "In the footage, several swimmers are seen in the sea. Some of them are intent on dragging what appears to be a small shark out of the water. The animal seems to be visibly suffering, so much so as to anger some of the other beach goers present."
"Other people asked those who dragged it out of the water to return it. Now, it is clear that the conduct of those who caused the unfortunate animal to be literally torn from its habitat, subjecting it to torture and causing it to suffer due to its tormentors ridiculing it, are liable under article 544-ter of the Italian Criminal Code," Borgese concluded.
Human hunting methods, which have long been reviled, are putting some shark species in danger of becoming extinct. Almost 100 million sharks are killed worldwide each year at the startling pace of 11,000 sharks every hour. Millions of sharks are murdered each year as a result of the shark fin trade, which is fueled by the demand for shark fin soup. Humans have used sharks for almost everything, including food, fashion, and even cosmetics. Ocean ecosystems are in danger when shark numbers decline.
Unlike other aquatic species, sharks do not easily repopulate as they require a very long time to develop. Sharks can take up to twenty years to mature. The continued health of the world's oceans depends on sharks. They do this by regulating the populations of other creatures and preying on the weak and old. By doing so, the gene pool is improved and disease transmission is halted. Since humans have long exploited sharks, July 14 is designated as Shark Awareness Day to raise awareness of this special species.