Scientist Confirm Discovery of First Two-Headed Bull Shark

Posted on March 25, 2013

Scientists have confirmed the discovery of a two-headed bull shark. The shark was found in the Gulf of Mexico in April 7, 2011. It was a single shark with two heads and not conjoined twins. The study was led by scientists from Michigan State University and published here in the Journal of Fish Biology.

Michael Wagner, MSU assistant professor of fisheries and wildlife, who confirmed the discovery with colleagues at the Florida Keys Community College, said in a statement, "This is certainly one of those interesting and rarely detected phenomena. It's good that we have this documented as part of the world's natural history, but we'd certainly have to find many more before we could draw any conclusions about what caused this."

The scientists say one reason finding two-headed creatures is so rare is that creatures with these types of abnormalities often die shortly after birth. This particular two-head shark was found by a fisherman when he opened the uterus of an adult shark. It would probably not have survived in the wild.

Wagner advised people not to jump to conclusions and blame the two-headed shark abnormality on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He said, "Given the timing of the shark's discovery with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, I could see how some people may want to jump to conclusions. Making that leap is unwarranted. We simply have no evidence to support that cause or any other."

ANIMALS
SHARKS