The carcass of a whale that beached itself in Venice, Florida, last weekend was towed back out to sea this week, and the owner of a marine assistance company captured video of sharks feeding on the leviathan after towing it out to sea.
Capt. Craig Marcum, owner of Sea Tow Venice, rushed to the beach after getting an alert that a whale was stranded off the coast on Sunday. Despite rough seas and expert advice against towing the whale back to sea while it was still alive, Marcum and his team were able to tow the deceased whale 15 miles off the Gulf Coast during the next high tide on Tuesday.
The following day, they returned to the carcass to ensure it wasn’t coming back ashore, and that’s when they witnessed multiple tiger sharks feeding on the carcass. Marcum expressed his admiration for the professionalism and respect shown by the Mote Marine Laboratory team during the necropsy of the whale.
Gretchen Lovewell of Mote Marine Laboratory described the situation as a “gut punch,” emphasizing the importance of human safety when dealing with such large animals in rough surf conditions. Despite the unfortunate outcome of the whale’s death, Marcum believes that taking it back to the water was the best possible outcome, as it allows the cycle of life to continue and benefits countless other marine creatures.
The incident serves as a reminder of the delicate balance of nature and the importance of respecting and preserving marine life.
