Shark latches onto employee with hook-shaped teeth and doesn’t let go, Iowa zoo says
A bamboo shark was so startled that it latched onto a zoo employee’s hand, an Iowa zoo said.
Bamboo sharks aren’t known to bite, and there has been no record of these small sharks harming humans, according to the Blue Zoo in Des Moines. .
“Bamboo sharks are a species of small, nocturnal, bottom-dwelling sharks. These carpet sharks are native to the Indo-West Pacific and are sought after as pets in aquariums due to their vibrant body color,” the zoo said in a July 22 Facebook post.
However, this shark, which was about 18 inches long, became distressed while it was being transported and was moved to a larger tank to recover. As it “regained its strength, it became startled and latched onto the skin” between the worker’s thumb and forefinger with its hook-shaped teeth and didn’t let go, the zoo said.
Zoo staff attempted to pry the shark’s mouth open, but zoo management felt they needed more help. They called EMTs, but their efforts were unsuccessful as well.
“The team made multiple attempts to pry the shark’s mouth open, but the Bamboo Shark’s teeth, similar to small hooks, made it difficult,” the zoo said.
The shark just wouldn’t let go, the zoo said, leading to the “humane euthanization of the shark.”
The employee was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the zoo.
To prevent incidents such as this in the future, the zoo said all employees will be required to wear gloves when handling these sharks.
This story was originally published July 25, 2024 at 2:10 PM with the headline "Shark latches onto employee with hook-shaped teeth and doesn’t let go, Iowa zoo says."
