A Redditor was wandering along the beach when they saw a peculiar animal in the waves, and looked to the community at r/WhatIsIt in order to identify it.
What's happening?
"Saw this swimming close to the shore this morning off the coast of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. What is it? A shark?" wrote the original poster along a short video clip. (Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
Most Reddit commenters agreed that the animal was a shark, and there was discussion about what kind of shark it was.
"Tall and comparatively narrow fin, good for hammerhead. Weird not to see the caudal fin in the dorsal's wake, but it happens. I'd call it a substantially sized hammerhead shark," said one community member.
"Sharks don't need to break the surface they cruise just under it, quietly and confidently, which honestly makes them even more unsettling. That's not a playful mammal…that's a predator," replied another.
Why are sharks important?
Sharks have been spotted at Hilton Head before, and one woman even suffered an attack there.
While shark attacks are exceedingly rare, warming oceans and depleted prey populations have pushed many sharks into closer proximity with people. This not only poses a threat to the longevity of shark species, but also adds a safety concern for beach-goers.
What's being done about shark encounters?
The South Carolina Aquarium has clear guidance on how to handle shark encounters.
It warns that wearing jewelry while swimming can attract sharks. It recommends not swimming by fishing piers, fishers, or surfers. Swimming at dawn and dusk is also discouraged.
That said, swimming with friends can help deter sharks from approaching.
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To ensure sharks have all the territory they need to thrive, you can take local action by advocating for protected waters. Protected shorelines have been proven to support ample prey for apex predators like sharks, ensuring a healthy and growing ecosystem without the disruption of human activity.
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