Source : Perth Now news
Scientists in the US have been searching for a beast dubbed “Sharkzilla” after a number of animals were mauled off the coast of New York.
The monster of Montauk – believed to be a huge giant mako shark – is being tracked down by shark experts who are convinced a large predator has been busy chomping down prey close to the coastal tourist trap after a humpback whale was found to have suffered a 24-inch bite mark, while a 22-inch wound was found on a grey seal and a massive tuna fish was also attacked in the same area.
In a new Discovery Channel Shark Week episode titled Sharkzilla Takes New York, shark scientist Craig O’Connell explained: “In the past, this is the place you came to catch monster sharks. There are so many records right here off the shores of Montauk.
“All these monster sharks were completely fished out. They’re gone. But all the evidence we are seeing is telling me that all these big sharks might be back.
“I know those big sharks are out there, and we are going to find them.”
Craig also floated the wild theory that a giant shark could be a mutation linked to a dump of nuclear waste.
He claimed: “In the late 1960s, they dumped 15,000 barrels of nuclear waste in the Hudson Canyon. Ten years later, they went out to check on these barrels, and they were all leaking …
“Radioactive leaks could be impacting wildlife, even top predators. If animals are subjected to nuclear waste, this could cause genetic mutations and abnormal growth.
“If this predator is genetically altered, it could be faster, stronger and deadlier than any predator on Earth. We are calling it Sharkzilla.”
During their expeditions, the team located a Great White Shark and filmed a number of makos, even using a decoy dolphin named Hudson fitted with a piece of tuna and a “blubber blaster” which mimics air escaping from the body of a dead whale in a bid to attract Sharkzilla.
However, they did spot a large female mako which measured around 12 feet long and could have been big enough to inflict the injuries seen on the animals around Montauk, with Craig declaring: “This is Sharkzilla.”
The team successfully tagged the mako and obtained a tissue sample for testing. It was confirmed the shark was not a mutant and was simply a pregnant female with a big bite and a huge appetite.
