Was There A Shark Attack In Iowa?
There was a shark attack in Iowa! It just wasn’t your ordinary shark attack out in open waters. Instead, this was at an aquarium!
The incident happened at Blue Zoo an interactive aquarium in West Des Moines, Iowa. Unfortunately, the shark had to be euthanized after the reported attack. You’d never expect to hear about a shark attack in Iowa, so this could be the first of its kind.
Was There A Shark Attack In Iowa?
On Dave & Chuck The Freak, we’ve talked about many shark attack stories recently. It seems like there’s been an increase. However, most of those shark attacks happened in states like Florida or Texas. It’s not every day that you hear about a shark attack in Iowa.
According to The New York Post, an 18-inch bamboo shark had to be euthanized after it clamped its jaws down on an Iowa aquarium employee refusing to let go. It all happened while the Blue Zoo was celebrating Shark Week, and now it looks like it might end up being the last time they do that.
The New York Post reports that the employee was transporting the shark to a larger tank while trying to resuscitate it following it showing signs of distress. However, as it regained strength and came to it became startled and chomped down on the staff member’s hand. In a statement, Blue Zoo told The New York Post, “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. Consequently, management decided to call emergency services.”
Unfortunately, they were unable to free the employee’s hand and the shark had to be put down. The worker was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries that didn’t require stitches. To make things even more strange, there have been no records of Bamboo Sharks harming humans, per SharkInsider.com. However, not everyone is writing it off as an innocent accident. Should the shark even have been at that aquarium to begin with? Preston Moore, the Iowa state director for the Human Society of the United States, tells KCRG, “This pathetic roadside zoo pads is bottom line by pushing cruel interactions with stressed wild animals who are treated like disposable toys. Businesses like these are disastrous for animals and for people.”
Does he have a point? Or was it just an accident? See more from Local 5 ABC on YouTube below!