Real or Fake: Is This Viral Photo of a Shark Leaping for a Helicopter Legit?

Written by August Croft
Published: February 6, 2023
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There are a lot of unreliable images circling the internet these days, but some are more iconic than others. Helicopter Shark is one such photo, widely distributed back in the early days of the World Wide Web. But is Helicopter Shark more than a hoax or a meme? And does this photo illustrate something that could happen in real life?

In this article, we’ll debunk (not for the first time) an image showing a huge great white shark leaping from the sea and attempting to bite a man hanging from a helicopter. Is this typical great white shark behavior, and is this image real? Let’s dive in and talk all about the Helicopter Shark image now!

Helicopter Shark: A Hoax?

Sent to thousands of people, if not millions, Helicopter Shark made the rounds and convinced

so many people

of a hoax.

©Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com

If you consistently used your email back in 2001, you’d know that memes once only existed in your inbox. In fact, many viral images and videos were sent via email back in the day, often confusing and confounding anyone who opened the message. One such email? Helicopter Shark was widely distributed given its email subject line and the photo editing skills used to create the image.

You can view the original Helicopter Shark image by clicking here.

Imagine an email entering your inbox with the subject line, “AND YOU THINK YOUR HAVING A BAD DAY AT WORK !!”. This is what awaited those who decided to open the Helicopter Shark email. Sent to thousands of people, if not millions, Helicopter Shark made the rounds and convinced so many people that a military officer was about to be eaten by a huge great white shark.

It didn’t matter that it resembled a scene from a Batman movie. And it certainly didn’t matter that the Golden Gate Bridge was in the background of the image, making this an unlikely setting for a leaping great white. No, Helicopter Shark became an internet sensation back in 2001, despite being so obviously and painfully fake.

How Did Helicopter Shark Happen?

Great White Shark

No one has stepped forward to claim ownership of the original Helicopter Shark hoax.

©slowmotiongli/Shutterstock.com

If you got the Helicopter Shark image sent to you, it likely came accompanied by text. This text said something along the lines of it being “a real photo, taken near the South African coast during a military exercise.” Not only that, but Helicopter Shark was supposedly claimed to be “the shark photo of the year”, according to the body of the email. The hoax stated that either National Geographic or Geo (Germany’s National Geographic equivalent) thought this image was real, lending it a bit more credibility.

Unfortunately, it was very much fake. But it combined two very real images to make one of the first internet memes!

Yep, Helicopter Shark was an anonymous edit of two photographs. One photo, taken by Charles Maxwell, is of a real great white shark, leaping from the waters of False Bay in South Africa. The other image was taken by Lance Cheung. It was in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, and does indeed show a military officer climbing on a ladder dangling from a helicopter.

No one has stepped forward to claim ownership of the original Helicopter Shark hoax. However, it caused enough chaos to prompt a statement from National Geographic regarding the image. They stated that it was fake and was absolutely not meant to be the image of the year. Helicopter Shark remains famous to this day for the effect it had on people. It has been cited in textbooks about marketing and modern influence.

Do Sharks Leap in Real Life?

great white shark leaping out of water

Whales are found breaching or leaping from the sea more often than sharks are, but the seas in South Africa play host to plenty of great whites that perform this act daily.

©Alexyz3d/Shutterstock.com

Both of the images used to make Helicopter Shark are real. So it’s safe to assume that great white sharks do indeed leap from the ocean in real life. In fact, South Africa (where the shark portion of the image was taken) is home to plenty of great whites that behave in this manner. In False Bay and around Seal Island, great white sharks plunge to deep depths and throw their bodies into the air.

This is one of the only locations in the world where great whites exhibit this behavior. Whales are found breaching or leaping from the sea more often than sharks are. But the seas in South Africa play host to plenty of great whites that perform this act daily. It is in fact a hunting mechanism and amazing to behold!

Even though Helicopter Shark is fake, it’s a reminder of the real-life hunting instincts of great white sharks. It is powerful, dangerous, and beautiful! If you want to see real great white shark footage, especially them leaping from the sea, check out some of these videos and leave Helicopter Shark back in 2001!

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © Alessandro De Maddalena/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

August Croft is a writer at A-Z Animals where their primary focus is on astrology, symbolism, and gardening. August has been writing a variety of content for over 4 years and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theater from Southern Oregon University, which they earned in 2014. They are currently working toward a professional certification in astrology and chart reading. A resident of Oregon, August enjoys playwriting, craft beer, and cooking seasonal recipes for their friends and high school sweetheart.

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