WARNING: The video below depicts actual events involving a boy biting the head off of a small live shark apparently for entertainment purposes. Some viewers will likely find this video to be very disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.

UPDATE:The shark video has now been pulled down. Thanks to those who flagged the video!

UPDATE:This video (and the sea gull video) are in violation of YouTube’s Terms of Service which prohibit videos depicting animal abuse. If you wish to report the video, view it at YouTube.com and click on the “Flag” icon and select “Violent of repulsive content > animal abuse”. The gull video has already been pulled down due to Terms of Service violations.

YouTube user xtyleradx posted the following video above, which appears to document the decapitation of a small live shark by a boy who bites the live animal’s head off. Based on the laughter in the background, this seems to have been done for amusement and entertainment purposes. The decapitated shark can still be seen moving after the boy has bitten his head off. The video is listed with the title “Shark Attack” on YouTube, but based on the events in the video, it seems like “Shark Attacked” would be a more appropriate title.

The same YouTube user has also posted a video documenting the decapitation of a live gull, apparently also for entertainment purposes, in recent weeks. Gulls are federally protected in the United States.

One should stress that these videos are not simply humans hunting animals for food. These are videos of people killing animals for the sake of entertainment. While you often hear that serial killers and violent criminals get their start killing animals, some psychological studies published in recent years have argued that this type of behavior is not necessarily indicative of a pattern of violence that will escalate to include violence towards humans. That is to say, that not all people who abuse animals will go on to become violent criminals. Regardless, I think it’s safe to say that the behavior documented in these videos is certainly enough to raise a red flag.