Apparently the video of a shark swimming in a Florida backyard amid Hurricane Ian's storm surge was real
is teeming with wildlife, and any resident will tell you that it's not uncommon to see a potentially dangerous animal like an alligator or a bear.
But in the wake of , which devastated communities in southwest Florida, photos and videos have surfaced of unusual finds in and around people's homes. In one, a shark-like sea animal appears to be swimming through floodwaters near homes in Fort Myers.
The video first started making the rounds where it quickly went viral, although many wondered if it was real.
But the Associated Press confirmed that the clip was filmed last Wednesday by a man named Dominic Cameratta who filmed from his backyard in Fort Myers during the storm surge.< /p>
"I didn't know what it was - it just looked like a fish or something. I zoomed in, and all my friends were like, 'It's like a shark, man'", he told the channel.
The video has since been viewed over 13.7 million times.
"I wish I was there so I could help him get back into the ocean," one user lamented. "Just a small reef shark at first sight."
AP also confirmed that metadata for the music video showed it was actually filmed on Wednesday morning.
“I hope he gets back to open water safely,” said another Twitter user.
While it is unconfirmed if the large fish (estimated to be around 4 feet long) is in fact a shark, experts believe it could be a bull shark.
“Young bull sharks are common inhabitants of low-salinity waters — rivers, estuaries, subtropical bays — and often appear in similar videos in sea-connected Florida bodies of water such as coastal canals and ponds," George Burgess, former director of the shark program at the Florida Museum of Natural History, told the AP. "Assuming the location and date attributes are correct, it is likely that this shark was washed ashore with rising seas."
Ian made landfall in Florida last Thursday at Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral, sustaining winds of over 150 mph.
Reports of massive damage and power outages since last week, although it is still unclear just how extensive and devastating the damage suffered.
is teeming with wildlife, and any resident will tell you that it's not uncommon to see a potentially dangerous animal like an alligator or a bear.
But in the wake of , which devastated communities in southwest Florida, photos and videos have surfaced of unusual finds in and around people's homes. In one, a shark-like sea animal appears to be swimming through floodwaters near homes in Fort Myers.
The video first started making the rounds where it quickly went viral, although many wondered if it was real.
But the Associated Press confirmed that the clip was filmed last Wednesday by a man named Dominic Cameratta who filmed from his backyard in Fort Myers during the storm surge.< /p>
"I didn't know what it was - it just looked like a fish or something. I zoomed in, and all my friends were like, 'It's like a shark, man'", he told the channel.
The video has since been viewed over 13.7 million times.
"I wish I was there so I could help him get back into the ocean," one user lamented. "Just a small reef shark at first sight."
AP also confirmed that metadata for the music video showed it was actually filmed on Wednesday morning.
“I hope he gets back to open water safely,” said another Twitter user.
While it is unconfirmed if the large fish (estimated to be around 4 feet long) is in fact a shark, experts believe it could be a bull shark.
“Young bull sharks are common inhabitants of low-salinity waters — rivers, estuaries, subtropical bays — and often appear in similar videos in sea-connected Florida bodies of water such as coastal canals and ponds," George Burgess, former director of the shark program at the Florida Museum of Natural History, told the AP. "Assuming the location and date attributes are correct, it is likely that this shark was washed ashore with rising seas."
Ian made landfall in Florida last Thursday at Cayo Costa near Fort Myers and Cape Coral, sustaining winds of over 150 mph.
Reports of massive damage and power outages since last week, although it is still unclear just how extensive and devastating the damage suffered.
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