Shark Sighting Extremely Close to the South Padre Island Shore

A video has started to make the rounds on social media and it shows a shark swimming near the shore in South Padre Island. This happened last year as sharks were also seen swimming near the shore in South Padre Island and bit two people.

@luciaguzman225 Shark spotted on access 5 SPI #shark #spi #southpadreisland ♬ original sound - Lucia Guzman

What to do if you see a shark swimming on the shore in Texas?

In July of last year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued a statement regarding sharks in the water after a series of encounters in South Padre Island. According to the department, the shark encounters that occurred in South Padre Island "are not a common occurrence in Texas."

When and if shark bites "do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food." The department also indicated that "if you see large schools of bait near the shore, this typically an indicator a predator is nearby." And "if you see a shark in the water, calmly exit the water and wait for the predatory wildlife to pass."

My San Antonio put together a full list of what to do if a shark is spotted near Texas shores.

• Swim in groups.
• Stay on the beach.
• Sharks tend to be nocturnal, so avoid dusk and dawn swimming.
• Do not enter water with open wounds, as sharks are able to smell blood from a mile out.
• Sharks a drawn to shiny objects, so don't wear bright clothing or jewelry.
• Stay away from areas where people are fishing as sharks can also be attracted by bait.
• Keep an eye out while swimming in murky water.

@_laurenashley Sharks caught on the beach of Galveston, TX #beach #shark #sharkfishing #summer #sharksoftiktok #sharks ♬ A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey

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