Watch a Diver Take Remove Massive Hook From Struggling Shark’s Mouth

For most people, encountering a shark while scuba diving will cause self-preservation instincts to kick in. While the best thing to do is to remain calm and still, leaving the animal to its own devices, the scuba diver in this video realized that this nurse shark actually needed his help. The animal was caught in a reef and needed help to get free.

This video was captured by an underwater camera that the scuba diver wore or held. Many divers like to take cameras down with them to get footage of the amazing animals and sights waiting under the waves. We’re glad that we’re able to see this other world as well, thanks to the camera and the quick thinking of this diver.

Check Out The Entire Video Below!

The clip begins with the diver swimming through the water. You can hear his breathing and the water moving around as he swims toward the reef. A voiceover introduces the situation as the shark comes into the frame. He is clearly stuck on the reef with a hook and line extending from his head and snout. The video identifies the reef as one in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

After some maneuvering, the man gets the hook free. He has to hold the shark in place to be able to remove the hook, which isn’t an easy feat since this is a large and very scared animal. It takes around two minutes of trying to control the shark with one hand and cut the line and hook with the other before the shark is finally free.

Is This Normal Shark Behavior?

When they get stuck on something, most wild animals will try to free themselves. That’s exactly what this one is doing when the diver first approaches. He moves back and forth, trying to get free of the hook. But it is lodged deep in its mouth and it takes some help for the shark to get free. Nurse sharks tend to be docile and even friendly, although they can get defensive if they feel threatened.

The shark was afraid and thrashing, which made getting the hook out of its mouth that much harder. Of course, the diver wants to work safely to avoid injury to himself or further injury to the animal. He has a set of pliers that he uses to manipulate the hook. With his other hand, he holds the shark in place next to the artificial reef. At multiple points in the rescue, the shark twists and turns his body. He breaks free of the diver’s grip but not the hook. The diver remains there to try again as the animal stills. Positioning the shark close to the reef to prevent a lot of movement helps the diver get enough time to get the line free of the shark’s mouth.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Stevelaycock21 / CC BY-SA 4.0 – License / Original