Hammerhead Shark In Waters Surrounding Pinellas County

Photo by DigitalStorm from iStock/GettyImages

A hammerhead shark approached a boat off in waters off of Pinellas County a few weeks ago.

Have you heard of South Three Rooker Island? I had not, but it's just north of Honeymoon Island, which is in Dunedin. A boater sent video to our friends at WFLA News Channel 8. The video shows a hammerhead shark swimming closely to a boat nd then turning in the other direction. The boaters were out tarpon fishing, and of course, hammerheads eat tarpon fish.

On the list of sharks most likely to bite humans (without being provoked), hammerheads are 7th on the list.

A hammerhead shark side view swims with mouth open

Gregory Sweeney/Getty Royalty Free

Where are you most likely to find hammerhead sharks? Coastal waters, like the Gulf of the Atlantic.

I remember my uncle had a big hammerhead shark mounted in his living room. We weren't allowed to touch it, but when no one was looking, I would climb on the back of the couch and put my arm in it and pretend it bit me. (I was about seven years old.)

Have you ever seen any hammerhead sharks in waters near Pinellas County?

You can read more here from our friends at WFLA News Channel 8.

The 8 Florida Beaches With The Most Shark Attacks Since 2010

Sharks in Tampa Bay are a rare site, but Florida dominates the list of the most shark attacks in America. Travel Lens gathered the data on shark attacks dating back to 2010. One Florida beach had more attacks then #2 through #5 combined! Here's what they found.

#6 (Tie): Jacksonville Beach

3 attacks since 2010...

#6 (Tie): Gulf Shores in Alabama

3 attacks since 2010...

#6 (Tie): Jensen Beach

Another Florida beach... 3 attacks since 2010.

#6 (Tie): Isle of Palms in SC

Also 3 attacks since 2010.

#6 (Tie): Lori Wilson Park

3 attacks since 2010.

#6 (Tie): Ocean Isle

Another beach with 3.

#6 (tie): Kauai in Hawaii

#5: Ormond Beach

4 attacks since 2010.

#4: Melbourne Beach

6 attacks since 2010.

#3: Cocoa Beach

7 attacks since 2010.

#2 Myrtle Beach in South Carolina

9 attacks since 2010.

#1: New Smyrna Beach

A whopping 32 ATTACKS since 2010! They've earned the title of Shark Bite Capitol of the World. Why so many? Watch the video and it'll all make sense.

pinellas Shark

Roxanne WilderWriter

Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.