The historian and The Shark Trust deemed the discovery of the small toothed sand tiger to be “exciting” due to its rarity in the United Kingdom. Mr. Snow stated that the “trophy hunters” who “hacked off the head” can retrieve it once it has been examined.
Biologists and historians are requesting the return of the head and tail of an “extremely rare” shark discovered dead on a New Forest beach.
Saturday, pedestrians discovered what is believed to be a small toothed sand tiger on Lepe Beach in Hampshire.
Dan Snow, a TV historian, saw the shark at the time. But when he returned to transport it away for biologists to examine, the body parts had been removed.
In a Twitter video, he claimed that “trophies hunters” had “severed the head.”
The broadcaster has joined pleas for the return of its remains.
He tweeted, “Last night, we went to capture the shark for scientific purposes. However, we were too late! Please contact me if you have the authority to do so. The specialists want to examine it and then you can keep it.”
He added, “Biologist friends such as @Ben_garrod identified it as an extremely rare visitor to these shores and requested that I protect it.” The head, tail, and fin were taken before I could assemble a large team to transport the shark from the beach to the closest road.
“It is not illegal to take parts from dead fish that have washed ashore, so there is no judgment. But if you took the head, please let the scientists examine it and then you may keep it.”
A representative of The Shark Trust described the discovery as “exciting.”
Although he was unable to investigate the shark in person, he was able to identify it as a small tooth sand tiger based on photographs taken by Shark Trust staff and colleagues. (Odontaspis ferox).
“Despite their circumglobal distribution, small toothed sand tigers are infrequently encountered and are regarded as inherently uncommon.
Their distribution expands to the French coast of the northeast Atlantic Bay of Biscay.
According to The Shark Trust, these sharks can grow as long as 4 meters.
They feed on small fish and squid with their long, slender teeth. They are typically located near the seafloor.
The Trust warned that the species is “globally vulnerable” and that its population appears to be declining.
The Trust’s spokesman added, “With small tooth sand tigers possibly being extremely rare visitors north of Biscay, this is an exciting report.”
“Even though efforts were made to secure the specimen for research, recent images reveal that the shark was slaughtered overnight, with its skull and tail removed.
“The head, in particular, contains the key to unlocking intricate details of the shark’s life, even from before its birth. So we would appreciate any information regarding its location.
“Such observations contribute to our understanding of species distributions. This observation may have been a vagrant, but by maintaining records of rare sightings. New patterns may begin to emerge, making all records essential.”
