The sight of a dead giant shark being hung up alarmed American high school students, after they were surprised to find it hanging from wooden beams.
Ponte Vedra High School stated that the fish was discovered last Thursday, and its body was removed, and that investigators have identified 5 students involved in the accident, according to the American “WJXT” website.
A student at the school reported that the incident was part of a major prank, while the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office suggested it was a school joke, given the school’s mascot, a shark.
Pictures of the dead shark were shared on social media, primarily on Snapchat.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission confirmed it was investigating the incident.
The St.John’s County School District confirms a shark was found hanging above a staircase at Ponte Vedra High School this morning. They don’t know who put it there. It was cut down and removed. @wjxt4 viewers sent us pics. A student I spoke with says it was a senior prank. #PVHS pic.twitter.com/prXhToXdtV
— Marilyn Parker (@MarilynParkerTV) May 5, 2022
Last Friday, animal advocacy group One Protest launched a petition seeking criminal charges against the five students involved in the incident, and the petition had garnered the required 2,500 signatures as of Saturday.
“As an animal defense organization, we are used to seeing and hearing about horrific crimes committed against wildlife, and this case is particularly egregious,” the petition said.
He continued, “We are dealing with high school seniors who blatantly ignore life, and consider killing, maiming and displaying an animal’s body as ‘funny’ or ‘joke’.”
The statement also called for the students to be punished.
“We must abide by applicable laws to protect wildlife and hold those who break the law to account for their actions,” the statement said.
Following the incident, one of the students described the act as “horrific”.