Florida Bobcat Fishing For Sharks
It’s a mad, mad world when it comes to wild animals. Florida is no exception – for years it has been an established “strange place” when it comes to bizarre animal sightings. But nothing could prepare a Vero Beach, Florida, USA resident taking a stroll on the picturesque white sand beach when he saw a large shark feeding on smaller sharks. But there were something else he saw that was truly astounding: a Florida bobcat fishing for sharks, too!
The Florida bobcat is a massive animal not unlike a lion, native to the Americas. But when the normally relatively predator free shark became the prey, it provided a photo opportunity that is beginning to go viral across the world – and the now famous Florida bobcat fishing for sharks is an image being shared by millions on social media. According to a report by i09:
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Earlier this week, a Florida resident was taking a stroll along Vero Beach in Florida’s Sebastian Inlet State Park when he saw a bobcat staring at a shark that was feeding on smaller fish. But suddenly, the hunter became the hunted.
As reported by ABC’s Florida affiliate Local 10, the photograph was captured by John Bailey and has since been published at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Facebook page. Though some people are declaring the picture a fake, Liz Barraco, a spokesperson with the FWC, said they believe the photo is genuine and were “very excited to see it.”
David Hitzig, director of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, told CBS 12 station that the incident is a real possibility, and that “Florida bobcats frequently hunt along local beaches to catch crabs and other animals all the time.”
Over at The Miami Herald, wildlife biologist Robert King was quoted as saying: “Would they go into the surf and pull out a shark? Darn right they would,” adding that, “Unless it’s been photo-shopped, I believe it.”
Speaking to Local 10, Bailey said he was so fascinated by the sight he didn’t think about being in danger. When it happened, “it was pretty quick,” adding that the Bobcat “spotted it, pulled it up [and] the shark floundered for a while.” But when the big cat saw Bailey, it dropped the four-foot shark and retreated to the nearby forest. As for the shark — thought to be an Atlantic Sharpnose Shark — it managed to wriggle its way back to the ocean.
So what do you think the reason is for a Florida bobcat fishing for sharks?
