Amazing Rescue: shark found with a large pole lodged in its throat

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A grey nurse shark was found by two divers in Australia, the poor creature had a 4 feet gaff- a hooked pole used to haul big fish on to boats wedged in his mouth.

The injury was probably the result of illegal fishing as the species is currently endangered. Although there is no evidence whether someone was attempting to catch the 11 feet shark, only immediate medical attention could have saved the creature.


John Natoli, one of the divers who spotted the shark off the north coast of New South Wales said, " Although it did not appear to be suffering in a way, it was obvious it wouldn't be able to hunt and eat very successfully, and would die".

After Natoli spread the word about the shark's condition, government divers went off in search for it in the area, luckily they found it in the same spot he'd left it in.

Great care had to be taken while handling the creature as grey nurse sharks can bite and thrash even under duress, but the divers managed to lasso it into a transparent plastic tunnel specially designed for catching injured sea creatures.

The shark was then first injected with a drug to calm it and then moved to a tank where a vet and divers were able to carefully manoeuvre the gaff from it throat without causing any injuries.

Ian McDonald, the primary industries minister said," It was a delicate job but a job well done.
We aren't sure how the gaff got there in the first place but the good news is that the shark returned in the best of health."

The shark was fitted with an electronic tag before it was released into the Pacific Ocean, so that its movement and recovery could be monitored by scientists.