In a case of fiction turns into reality, NECN.com is reporting that the presence of a large “dorsal fin” drew crowds in Somerset, Massachusetts last week at Fox Hill Cove. However, all the attention turned out to be unwarranted when the fin was discovered to be nothing more than a weighted piece of Styrofoam painted to look like a shark’s fin. Onlookers became suspicious after the “fin” seemed to remain in the same spot for a long period of time.

Numerous shark sightings in Massachusetts waters have gained media attention over the past few months, for one reason or another. This seems to be the first case of a phony shark fin making the media rounds this year, though.

Somerset Police are looking for the person or persons behind the hoax. If the pranksters are identified, they may face disorderly conduct charges.

According to Sky News a rescue helicopter crew filmed the video of above in a stretch of coastal area off of Teewah, Queensland. The Sky News article identifies the species as tiger sharks and reports that over a hundred sharks were spotted in the area when the video was shot. The sharks were encircling fish along the coast, according to the helicopter crew.

Thanks to Shark Diver’s Underwater Thrills Blog for the heads-up on this video.

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.

According Christy Henderson of Buzz’s Marina (Ridge, Maryland) a second bull shark was netted a few miles up-river from where last week’s first reported bull shark was found in the Potomac River. According to the interview with Henderson in the video above, the second shark was found in a fisherman’s net later in the day on August 31 (the same day the first bull shark was found).

Henderson told NatGeo News that the second shark, which was measured at 8’3″, was found in a net owned by Thomas Crowder in Tall Timbers, Maryland.

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are one of the most well-known of shark species that are able to tolerate freshwater environments. Due to the bull shark’s freshwater tolerance, it is not entirely uncommon for bull sharks to be found in rivers and estuaries.

NBC Washington is reporting that an 8′ (2.4m) long bull shark was caught on August 31 in the Potomac River. According to the report, Willy Dean was fishing in Maryland’s St. Mary’s County in hopes of netting cownose rays for a biologist from Solomons Island, MD. Dean inadvertently netted the bull shark, which put up “quite a fight,” according to the fisherman. Dean says he will likely have the shark’s head “mounted” and is currently keeping the carcass in his freezer, according to the report.

Photos of the shark carcass are posted at NBC Washington.

YouTube user yleelawman recently posted the above video of what is described as a great white shark filmed in Stellwagen Bank during a whale watching tour. White sharks have been spotted fairly regularly in the waters off of Massachusetts, during this time of year, when the species is known to commonly migrate to northern waters of the Atlantic.

Update: A reader has commented that the dorsal fin seen in the video seems more characteristic of a basking shark than a white shark. After watching the video again, I’m inclined to agree. Basking sharks are also not uncommon in Massachusetts waters. Just last month a basking shark washed ashore on a Massachusetts beach after being filmed earlier swimming very close to shore.

If any shark experts out there would like to weigh in on the species identification, please let us know in the comments section. Thanks!

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to dive with some sand tiger sharks off the North Carolina coast. Unfortunately, the juvenile sand tiger in the video above had apparently been hooked on what appears to be a fisherman’s bottom rig. The young shark was swimming around inside the hull of the USS Indra. The shark appeared to have a treble hook in its lower jaw with a lead sinker dangling from it.

The sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) is a protected species in U.S. waters. However, due to the unpredictable nature of fishing, sand tigers can be accidentally hooked by fisherman. It is unclear whether this particular shark was hooked accidentally and broke the line, or the line was simply cut.

A diver had told us he attempted to remove the hook from the shark on a previous dive. He said he had “wrestled” with the shark for quite some time during the attempt, but his efforts proved unsuccessful.

According to a WPTV.com report a 9′ (2.75 m) female scalloped hammerhead was caught by fisherman off-shore and then left dead on the docks of the Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach, Florida. The abandoned catch has stirred up some controversy. A WPBF.com report on the event quotes Jim Abernathy as saying that the catch was illegal based on Florida law. According to Abernathy, any fish that is not intended to be eaten must be immediately released under the state law.

Despite being listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Redlist, the scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) is not a protected species in Florida waters.

A great white shark predation event on a seal was captured on video by a Massachusetts’ family. According to WPRI, the event occurred 20 yards from shore, off the coast of Provincetown last week. Estimates put the white shark at approximately 15′ (4.5m) in length according to the report.

While the WPRI video report refers to the feeding event as “vicious” and “violent,” it is also noted that it is part of “the cycle of life.” Seals often serve as a natural food source for larger great white sharks.

According to NECN, a basking shark, which was first spotted swimming not far from shore on August 19, was later found washed ashore on White Horse Beach in Plymouth, MA.

The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), a filter-feeder, is generally considered harmless to humans.