Watch a Man Sprint After and Catch a Speedy Shark With His Bare Hands

Written by Ryan Fisher
Updated: October 25, 2023
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Think again before you challenge this guy to a race! Take a look at the clip below that shows a man chasing down a shark so fast that he can catch it with his bare hands. The video shows a man running along a beach, seemingly following something as it swims through the water. Watching the scene in amazement, the cameraman can be heard exclaiming just how crazy the whole ordeal is. After a few long moments of the man chasing the shark through the water, he stops and grabs on tightly to the animal in the water. Eventually, he pulls it out, showing that it is a baby shark who appears just as shocked as the rest of us! 

Don’t Miss This Man Nab a Shark Barehanded!

How Long do Sharks Live For? 

It is honestly a cool thing to see such as small shark up close. Most of the time, people imagine them to be ginormous predators, but we often forget that they all start small just like every other animal (except for elephants of course!). 

Depending on the species you are looking at, they can have somewhat varied lifespans. For the most part, many species are recorded to have average life spans of roughly 20-30 years at least! Most sharks take the majority of their life to grow into their mature breeding size. With that said, the shark in the video above must have only been a year or two old at most. 

In contrast to a lifespan of just a few decades, some sharks can get even older. For instance, some species such as Greenland sharks can live up to 272 years at least

What Are Their Top Swimming Speeds?

Blue shark (Prionace glauca), Faial-Pico Channel, Azores Islands, Portugal

There are a diverse range of top speeds among sharks, with some of the lowest around 10 mph and the highest around 45!

©Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 – Original / License

You may have been shocked to see a fierce animal such as a shark be out-chased by a human, especially in the water. Don’t mistake them for being slow creatures though, as many sharks can reach extremely fast speeds. 

For instance, fast species such as mako sharks can reach up to 46 mph when at top speeds. Additionally, others, such as tiger sharks can still reach up to around 20 mph, which is no small feat. 

In many cases, they tend to swim only at slower speeds to conserve energy. For instance, when they are simply swimming around in search of prey, they may only swim at just a few miles per hour. Likewise, larger sharks tend to swim at slower speeds, due to the increased energy it takes to move a body with such a large mass! 

When the moment is right, they will rush to their top swimming speeds. For many, just a few seconds of their top speed is enough for them to catch up to prey. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © aspas/iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images


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About the Author

Ryan Fisher studies biology at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. His scientific interests are diverse, revolving around plants, animals, and fungi alike. In the future, he is planning on studying more botanical sciences, however he is extremely well-versed in select fields of zoology, such as entomology (the study of insects) and ornithology (the study of birds).

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