The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking the public's help in finding the person responsible for putting a shark in a Yuma canal.
As you probably know, no shark species are native to Arizona, so when one's found in a freshwater irrigation canal it tends to raise a few eyebrows.
The shark was found dead in the West Main Canal near 1st Street and 14th Avenue in Yuma on Saturday. Authorities believe the shark was placed in the canal by someone who caught it in either San Diego or Mexico.
The shark is about 32 inches long, but Game and Fish officials aren't
sure what brand of shark they're dealin' with -- they say it's similar to a
lemon shark.
It's unclear to authorities whether the shark was alive when it was
placed in the canal. Some sharks are able to survive in both fresh and
saltwater, the GFD says, so tossin' one in a canal can be big SNAFU when
it comes to public safety.
All sharks, both freshwater and saltwater, are restricted wildlife in
Arizona, which means anyone found with one is breaking the law.
We have a feeling that someone who was apparently keeping a
shark as a pet didn't tell their friends about it. So, if you have any
information (or a friend who used to have a pet shark) please call the Operation Game Thief hotline toll-free
at (800) 352-0700. Cash rewards may be offered for information leading to an
arrest.
