E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSFishermen in the Pakistani port of Karachi got more than they bargained for Tuesday as they reeled in one of the biggest fish in the sea: a whale shark.
The Express Tribune, a Pakistani newspaper, reported that the 40-foot fish was first spotted ten days ago in seas about 150 km (93 miles) from the city. Mehmood Khan, the owner of a local fishery, said the shark was unconscious at that time and other reports said that it was found dead Tuesday.
A large crowd gathered as a succession of cranes were brought in to lift the shark on to the pier. After several hours and a number of failed attempts, the leviathan was finally brought ashore and promptly sold for 1.7m Rupees ($18,750).
The whale shark was added to the World Conservation Union's list of threatened species in 2008.
Rehan Khan / EPA
Fishermen tie ropes around the carcass of a whale shark in a harbor in Karachi, Pakistan, on Feb. 7, 2012. The 40-foot whale shark was said to have been found dead in the Arabian Sea.
Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images
Cranes pull the carcass of the whale shark from the water on Feb. 7, 2012.
Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images
Curious onlookers crowd around the carcass after it was lifted out of the water on Feb. 7, 2012.
Find out what happened to the shark next in this update: Pakistani man fights police over 40-foot shark.
Leave a Comment:
Really hate to see mother nature at work. At least, let's hope it was mother nature.
I don't know about that. Look at that disgusting putrid water in the first picture.
Shame. What a beautiful sea creature and they're harmless, not like other sharks.
That water is so nasty. I hope those disgusting people know what they are doing to the environment. They probably just poop wherever they feel like it.
Cygnus_X-1,
Other sharks are harmful? If other sharks ate people at the rate that we kill them, you wouldn't be able to go near the water. We "harvest" millions of sharks a year for nothing more than their fins because it's supposedly the natural Viagra for Asians. Sharks are amazing creatures, did you know that they can't get cancer?
I have spent many hundreds of hours diving, have seen hundreds of sharks, and have never once been menaced or attacked. What we humans do to those creatures is disgusting and I can only hope that we figure it out before we wipe them out.
Well said Todd. The only lifeform humans resemble is a parasite.
>;/ x2 - These people are only trying to survive. Not every country in the world enjoys the advantages that we have. If you are hungry and need to feed your kids, you will do whatever it takes, including destroying the environment. Besides, the water in most harbors in this country look almost as bad.
Probably croaked from the filth in the water. I say send PETA to India to protest the inhumane treatment of sealife due to the unethical treatment of the water and its associated plankton. I mean...plankton feel pain too. Go get 'em PETA.
The article clearly states that the fish was spotted in seas 150 km (93 miles) from the city. It didn't die in the water in the harbor. It also states that the shark was unconscious at the time it was spotted and other reports said that it was found dead.
Yes they are. But they can get cancer. They're remarkably resistant to it, but get it they can.
Good post Todd except the cancer bit. Yes they do get cancer.
ABCxyz,
I'm with you. Amazing animal, but that doesn't mean we need start bashing people that are walking in shoes we've never been in.
Go to country like that yourself. Imagine being born there, and then try to convince yourself you'd be any different than the people around you. And they're not necessarily bad. Just like us, there are good. There are bad. We should just enjoy the relative comfort and the freedom that we have. There's nothing constructive about judging a bunch of people in a picture when you have never meet them or even been to the place.
In hope that word gets out to neighboring Pakistan, where the story actually occurred?
Todd and Blackbird : stop this canned "humans are bad." More animals would be extinct today if man were not around and that is not counting those who work in conservation. On the other hand, it is hard for me to b elieve that this shark was first "unconscious" (how can you see that from a distance) and then died ? The upper fin is missing, there is no word about whay happened to it. That alone must have fetched the 18,000 $. I wonder whether a museum would not have paid more than that in order to preserve it. Anyway, if people are poor and hungry, little else counts as much as money.
Look at the photos again. The dorsal fin is right where it should be. And let's see some proof, any at all, that supports your claim of "more animals would be extinct today if man were not around".
The article says the whale shark was unconscious then found dead...from what, for how long? Is it edible, and if not, how could it be sold for so much?
I wonder if PETA has figured out that Preparation-H contains shark liver oil & wondered how it's obtained? I also wonder how/what/why some chemical engineer stumbled across the fact that shark liver oil is good for hemorrhoids? Just wondering.
The real value is the fibers in the fins, for shark fin soup. But I don't believe preferred species include whale shark.
Food!
IT IS TIME for humanity to go. Please watch "Walking Dead" Parts 1&2. WE have eatenup and pooped out everything in sight EXCEPT EACHOther.....
PhantomBeast
You go first, we will follow.
eventually this shark was going to die...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow...but someday.
quit trying to pretend like we have any real understanding of how the worlds fragile ecosystem would drastically change because of mankinds touch on animals.
especially when you are eating beef, chicken or pork.
I dont know that our eco system has ever experienced the type of mass production of animal meats for mass consumption like we see today.
Dont be a hypocrite...adding too many, in theory...should be just as bad as subtracting too many right?
Who here is upset that dinosaurs went extinct and screwed up the fragile ecosystem?
NewEnglander-1780657
i honestly feel relieved to know there are still people like you out there apart from those who judge instantly without having ANY idea or practical experience of a country. these people are complaining about dirty sea water while thousands of humans die because of hunger, easily curable diseases and other conditions because the government can't provide in such a country. i live there and trust me we have MANY other problems to worry about than dirty sea water. You people who have it easy because you were BORN in a country which was developed and provided for you, SERIOUSLY need to keep your opinions to yourself because you have NO idea how terrible other parts of the world are.
Jessica, don't forget to include agriculture too. We are destroying the world with that stuff we called pesticide.
Actually, successful parasites do not make their presence known to the host. I'm pretty sure mother nature is "aware" we are here. Humans are much more like leeches than parasites. Pass the salt!
It's a whale shark, they're typically this large and feed on plankton.
I hope it died a natural death as the whale shark poses no treat to humans.
Sharks can get some types of cancer. The types of cancer they CANT get include breast cancer, testicular cancer and lung cancer. This is because sharks don't have breasts, testicles, or lungs.
You, sir, obviously never had shark flavored ice cream. It IS a treat.
and then this...
Unconscious or dead. In the words of Arsenio Hall "Things that make you say hmmmm."
What a graceful manificent animal.
The people of India have been complaining for a decade about how the USA uses India as an industrial dump....much of that pollution was caused by your consumption. Pollution never should have taken a back seat to global warming - mission accomplished by the Right-wing media. Any fool who didn't notice how 95% of the media was purchased by the few wealthy during the Bush 2 administration - chose too be ignorant of what was going on. The majority of local newspaper Forums closed down when Bush took office (remember he bought up every domain name he could that was derogatory towards him...paranoid fear even got him). I'm sorry to bring politics into this article - but when Americans try and blame India for everything that is wrong in that country - it just shows how (willingly) dumbed down Americans have become.
I,m sad for the the animal, but most of all for us for having destored such a beautiful creature.
@ the people that posted about how nasty they have let the water get over there. Take a better look at what America is doing to the water here. We're no better at treating our enviroment like we should. Thats one of our biggest problems as Americans, we're always pointing the finger at other countries and their faults. The really sad thing is that most of them countries are thousands of years old, America is only a few hundred yrs. old. So if you compared the damaged caused to the enviroment with the time factor, we are far worse than any other country.
thepunisher-2054749
"Jessica, don't forget to include agriculture too. We are destroying the world with that stuff we called pesticide."
You think there are a lot of starving people in the world now...? If we didn't use the knowledge and technology we have to grow food, there would be millions more hungry people in this world.
This is at all of you who keep saying don't judge those who consume shark fin soup. I WILL jusdge them as degrading members of the human species same as I will judge those who have gorrila feet or elephant tusks. These animals were killed for vanity. Shark fin soup is over a $100 for a single small bowl. Please explain to me how a culture that NEEDS shark fin soup for survival can feel good about themselves for charging $100+ per bowl. There are other more sustainable methods of getting food. Plus, if it were about feeding there one billion+ mouths then they would harvest the entire shark not just the fins. All of you who are saying hey don't judge, did you know that they sharks fins are sliced off while it is still living and then once the fins are removed the living shark is tossed back into the ocean to die of blood loss or starvation or asfixiation whichever happens first? How humane is that?
drainbramage -- while I don't necessarily disagree with your comments, the story on which your commenting occurred in Pakistan, not India.
What a shame. The whale shark is a beautiful harmless animal.
I think you have drain bramage lefty
If I'm not mistaken the Dog Shark cannot get cancer. I'm not sure about the other types though.
@ Dave 2267 parasites harm the host : These symbiotic interrelationships can be divided into three main categories; Mutualism, when both species involved benefit from the relationship, Commensalism, when one species benefits and the other isn’t affected, and Parasitism, when one species benefits, and the other is harmed in the process.
Speaking of shark fin soup and the environment, why does it seem that Asian countries look at the Endangered Species List as if it was a menu?? Nevermind their unvalidated medicinal reasons I just read that elephants have made the mainstream menu!! With their great number of human population and wealth they could wipe them (endangered species) all out via the rest of the world's greed. Some international law needs to be laid down and enforced before human parasites begin poaching zoos because the wild animals will be no more.
Can't Man leave an innocent creature alone! this is all kinds of wrong!
To the people arguing about a shark getting cancer - sharks cannot develop skeletal cancer since the cartilage is too dense for blood vessels to form to feed the cancer/tumors. That is why people cant develop ear or nose cancer.
Sharks can develop cancer in just about any other tissue or muscle in their bodies though.
drain, what does an article about sharks in Pakistan have to do with India? You geographical lack of knowledge brings the credibility of your whole post into question.
People all over the world seem to have so little regard for everything else. That mankind is destroying the seas is an understatement. We will destroy this planet soon enough. Animals that need protecting cannot be protected from ignorance. That part of the world is ignorant, unclean and warring.
>;/ x2 -- Ummm, where do you think the fish go? Biological waste is handled very efficiently by marine organisms, whether it's from humans, fish, or other animals. It's the non-biological stuff that is the bigger problem.
PDK, dspencer, and sparklystar; you all may want to invest in a World map. Pakistan boarders India and the ocean posters are commenting on - is the same ocean...actually it's the Arabian Sea. Karachi looks to be about 100 to 200 miles from India - follow the bouncing ball - my comment was aimed at other posters replies on how awful the water looked. Which was more on topic than just trolling posters.
Looks like my drainbramage isn't as bad as your brain.......
A fact I clearly noted a full 2 hours prior to your first non-related India post . . . But, you're right, dude, it's probably my fault that your comments made no sense in the context of the actual article.
P.S. It's "borders" not "boarders" . . . . wait, sorry, I'm sure your spelling error was probably my fault as well; if only I'd "followed the bouncing ball," it would make perfect sense, right? Gosh darn my stupidity!
i suggest you guys look up the discovery channel show 'life after people' ..or something like that it chronicles what is predicted to happen up to 200 years after if we just up and one day disappeared
AviatorDave; I take it you don't live by any oceans or seas - next time you get to a coastal area, count all the Red Tide signs telling you not to eat the fish.
I worked for a Water and Sewer District - where our Treatment Plant emptied into Puget Sound - if you flew over you would see a big brown cloud in the water that goes out a good 200 yards and is just as wide. We did the minimum amount of treatment the law would allow...there is tons of sewage that still contains harmful elements. Human waste is not farm ready (you can't just poop in the field and expect natural results), we ingest all kinds of chemicals that we deposit, and they do not break down just because they went through our digestive track.
"Life after people" first aired on the History Channel. And this mini series only projects as if we were to disappear now. At the rate we are going, Earth will be as uninhabitual as Venus. I'm sure that I am not the only one who has noticed the striking similiarities between Venus's atmosphere and the way our atmoshpere is developing.
That entire region is a cesspool of human-made waste. The outsourcing of our jobs may have cotributed but we Americans did not personally dump anything there except trillions of U.S. dollars that should have been used here at home.
ok this is for the brilliant bunny loving tree hugger that thinks humans are the ultimate evil and wanted examples of animals that went or are going extinct not due to humans. well what about the dinosaurs, you know if humans today had been around we would have a few T-Rex running around eating the unsuspecting household because even though they would have been a major problem the bunny lovers would rather 1000 people die than to kill an animal. Ok on a more serious note of a species going extinct due to no fault of humans. There is a frog that has become susceptible to a new strain of fungal pathogen that is destroying the populations of this frog, the populations have been greatly reduced and at no fault to humans but guess what? humans are trying to save these frogs. They are looking for members of the species that are resistant and trying to breed the resistance in, they are also looking for ways to combat the fungus. But who are we to kill the poor little helpless fungus over saving the frog? there are also other cases but this one is the most prominent and scientifically backed although some of the scientist are trying to blame it on humans in one way or another.
PDK; thanks for tipping me off to your previous posts - looks like all of your posts are just Troll attacks - you don't say one word about the article or counter the opinions of other posters...anybody can take the negative attack approach, that requires no risk or thought.
The majority of posts have taken on the aspect that water pollution my have a role in this story - if you have nothing to add, then exercise a little self control and don't post....forum rookies - sheesh.
PhantomBeast
That's been done too or haven't you heard about cannibals. Scenes like this is why we need to stop feeding the world to encourage them to reproduce. The world's supply of food and other things necessary to live is not infintesimal.
Blackbird & Todd651965: AGREED! The human race is a cancer, a virus, to this planet. When the planet (host) dies, what the $%#@ are we gonna do then? I wish we would WAKE UP!
I really hate to see such a gentle magnificent animal destroyed. Does anyone know approximatly how many are left in the wild.
A Troll is a Troll - if you don't want to be lumped in with all the other Trolls, then restrain your self. I'm not about to address every Troll specifically - Trolls are no more than attention seekers.
I would rather be wrong with my opinions than be too chicken to have one - some of us learn from our mistakes...it's nothing to be ashamed of. It is far better to have tried and failed, than to not try at all.
I doubt this shark was dead for ten days before they hauled it in or even two days. Why would anyone buy a fish dead that long? Rancid meat anyone? Or is rotting fish some sort of delicacy to them? A full day after death without refrigeration, decomposition has begun in earnest. After ten days it would have been nearly gone from scavengers in the sea. This animal shows no sign of decomposition or bloat. After ten days it would be clearly evident. Sounds like a cover for taking a threatened species to me.
Oh, hang on, just looked at the pictures again. Blood in the water, from animal that is supposed days dead? Not likely, blood clots within hours of death. Their is no bleeding after death. I think they hooked it on purpose and just said it was dead or "unconscious" to cover their asses. Never seen a comatose shark.
drainbramage, you got sucked in by the "media" about India. The U.S. and other countries do not "dump" anything there that the Indian government does not allow. They agreed to be a recyling center for many things and THEY decide the method to release those resources.
INDIA NOT the USA, England, Russia also pollutes themselves. I've been to India many times, they are the largest leather producer in the world, I have driven by the tanning factories the putrid smell that comes from them is disgusting. NO ONE Forced them to become the tanning factory of the world. India and China because of their laws and low wage rates have allowed companies to produce the products we use everyday.
Don't blame another country for the others pollution just because you heard something on the news or program. Like many other issues the facts are skewed to how they want you to believe so one would support their side, you can't believe all you see on TV, News or the Internet.
India, China, Indonesia and many others are their own worst enemy in terms of pollution NOT the country recycling the used items.
What you likely saw and I can only guess because you only mention a small out of context fact to fit your side, was a documentry on how children take circuit boards and burn them so they can turn them for the precious metals they contain. It is not a large group doing this but only small groups. As I said the Indian Government allows this to happen, a ship doesn't just show up there and drop the stuff there just because they feel like it.
India is a filthy country, they are the cause of their pollution not anyone outside the country.
I think the fish died after consuming the body of Osama. Sea shepherd should sue CIA or harpoon their ships LOL
Awwwww what a shame! I hope they didn't kill it. Man is evil for sure!
Maybe the shark ate too many of Plankton's Chum Dogs on a Stick?
Yeah, I hate man! rabble rabble evil humans. shark fin soup boooo!! pollution sucks! I'm so much better than these humans. booo! we should all die rabble rabble.
Hahahaha! Whatever you say, chief. I'd point out the comically myopic hypocrisy of your post, but I'm quite certain you wouldn't get it . . .
Todd67, is right on. This is sickening, whale sharks are harmless and are not a great food source. Humans will ruin EVERYTHING before it's over.
@KimfromMI- "The human race is a cancer, a virus, to this planet. When the planet (host) dies, what the $%#@ are we gonna do then?" Well, then we're gonna die. (Not us, uf course, but maybe our great-great grandkids.) I agree with your sentiment, I wish we would wake up, too.
Overpopulation is our problem. The US can afford to have stronger environmental laws, because we have more resources and fewer people to feed. But how long is that going to last? Our population keeps growing, too, just like India's. (I know the story is about Pakistan. Same general issue.) As we get hungrier and poorer, regulations could fall by the wayside. Just like everyone else, we'll do whatever we need to do to feed our kids. It feels wierd and creepy to come down on the side of China, but sometimes I wonder if strict population control isn't the only answer? It's either that, or wait for mother nature to resore the balance. Flu viruses mutate like a sonofagun.
God, everything about this article, photos, and discussion is so depressing.
According to this article this animal was not killed by humans. I don't know why anyone would want to eat an animal that died and then found at sea, since it can be full of bacteria already decomposing the animal. I do agree with the people stating that humans are destructive to the environment and contribute to the extinction of animals, the people saying that humans save animals do not realize that the whole reason that species of animals got endangered in the first place was due to human destruction of the species and their environments. Eventually if the population does not go down, we will not have enough resources on Earth to sustain this level of life, and humans may ultimately endanger it's own species.
this is down right wrong!! whale sharks are harmless, i read about a 86 year old woman riding one!! i mean this is so wrong it was a blessing that it got so big, and now humans killed it!!
What a shame!!! Someday there will be nothing left to fish or hunt or kill :(
Where do you read it was days dead?
It was spotted 10 days ago - alive, but unconscious. Then it died Tuesday, and they grabbed the booty.
It wasfound dead by a pier in Karachi. Since it was unconscious I would guess they were tracking it.
How disgusting and sad! These magnificent gentle giants are harmless plankton feeders. Many ppeople in that part of the world are barbaric and could care less whether an animal is on the endangered list or not. With the money that whale fetched, the owner of the fishery is probably just saying the creature was unconscious to keep the authorities off his back while he makes a near fortune for that part of the world.
MMMMMMMMMMMM, Aged whale shark for dinner!!! Wonder if they also eat it like sushi???
Concepts would tell us that it was not 10 days old. Well at least this is my thoughts. Okay first off decay would have started and think about it. With as much blood that was spilled all over the shore you would think that other animals would have tried to scavange off it's body some where. Way to mush blood spill for a beating heart. Even birds would have sat and ate off it. Almost 19k for a 10 day old dead fish. Want to see reports about this and if it is endangered then tests should have to be preformed before hand to prove no foul play. Think about it. Anyone kill something and say they didn't do it with that big of a price on it's head.
All of you condemning the human race are pointing most of your fingers at yourselves...only myopic neanderthals would condemn yourselves as tho you weren't among that number called "humans". Taking care of the planet doesn't include condemning humanity.
A fish that had been dead at sea for 10 days?Gimme a break!Look at all the "fresh" blood in the water in the picture.Anybody that believes this fish was a floating carcass in the ocean for over a week...I have a few bridges on the moon i would like to sell you.
No wonder it died with the look of that water??? YUK...
Whale sharks are an endangered species. Doubt seriously that this shark was 'found' unconscious, much more likely that the little opportunists harpooned it and then claimed they 'found' it. Notice the many, many people surrounding one shark? Don't think there is any danger of the human race dying out anytime soon since we seem to breed with the capacity similar to certain insects. Now, the whale shark takes many years to mature, it produces few young and overfishing is destroying many fish populations. Shark fin soup, like tiger pizzle and bear gall and rhino horn are supposed to be sexually 'stimulating' and posess medicinal qualities which is why they are hunted and poached to near extinction.
Some of you seem to be losing track of the real point in this article, there is no way that, that whale shark was dead for 10 days and who in their right mind would come out and say it was unconscious? How do you tell a whale is unconscious in the water? YOU CAN'T! There is no bloating, the skin looks good and a whale shark that had been dead for 10 days would in no way bleed as much as is shown in the second photo of the article! If you actually believe this article and what has been written, then I suggest you better check to see if your not unconscious! Those people are not going to be standing around a whale shark that has been dead for 10 days because the rancid smell would be too overwhelming! That whale shark was not dead in the ocean, they killed it, get real !!!!!!!!!
MSNBC posts the shortest news story in the history of the internet and people don't seem to read it.
Today is Tuesday. Animals are killed and then bled so that the blood is not in the carcase.
If you clicked on the Tribune Link you can see a Video of the Dead Shark.
You can also read that:
If you look at their fishing boats you might notice a fish that big would be quite the project to haul back to shore.
"Old Man in the Sea"? Not likely.
@blackbird,
or a virus. Looks like Agent Smith was right on the money.
As per my World Studies college level course we just finished this region up in it just so happens yes their water is nasty and depleted as well. On the other hand, these whale sharks I presume don't get much larger than 40 feet people. It dawns on me this particular swimmer had lived a long life and proved plenty resilient to this so called nasty water for a long long time. And yes I grew up a fisherman so I speak from experience fish do show signs of death as they drift off into the afterlife but no way would birds be chomping on them so far from shore. Anywho, look at all the people gathered for the commotion. That looks like a few kegs of IPA are due. My kinda party I guess. As far as the chemical and biohazard pesticides go humanitarians are stewarding a new wave of lifestyle for these people as we speak. The pollution was bad, yes, but the cleanup effort will be way better and the gears of providing these malnourished people by their own means are already in action. You just don't hear about anything good in the news anymore. Really, are you surprised?
The Pakistani Report said 35 foot, which is still larger than most.
According to National Geographic they get to be 18 to 32.8 ft, with a few reaching 40.
I agree, this was an old fish.
Hopefully it died of natural causes and not because of any human intervention.
Also, I would think if it did die on it's own, it wouldn't be good for food..then again, if you're hungry enough...
Jessica, where do you get your information? You cannot compare this incident to the loss of dinosaurs. They were destroyed by a natural event -- weather change or comet strike. Sharks are killed indiscriminately. This shark species is on the endangered species list. It could NOT have been found dead. Sharks SINK when they die. They do not float. How could they have possibly found the thing dead?
WOW! What a whopper!
What a magnificent creature! The largest fish in the seas, and also entirely docile, gentle, curious and harmless. Someone had better order about a tanker truck full of tarter sauce, in a hurry!
'Stupid Question' wrote:
REPLY: 'Stupid Question', before you get on your high horse, correcting others, you should check your own facts.
This species, Whale Sharks are NOT "on the endangered species list." They are categorized as "Vu" (= Vulnerable), not endangered.
Furthermore, whether a dead sea creature, including a Whale Shark, sinks after death depends on its buoyancy. The enormous liver of whale sharks provides its buoyancy regulation. And just like cetaceans (whales, dolphins, etc.) a dead Whale Shark will most typically float for several days, sometimes weeks after death, before finally sinking.
Don't criticize others. Do your research.
JOregon, Old Man and the Sea with Spencer Tracy, great movie and a classic.
Robert, while I agree with most of what you posted above, I find that the difference in vulnerable and endangered comes down largely to a matter of semantics in the long run. Where is the line drawn between the two? Not my intent to argue or dispute. I am just curious.
FXSTC asked, "....... how/what/why some chemical engineer stumbled across the fact that shark liver oil is good for hemorrhoids?"
Same way that, 15,000 years ago, someone, almost definitely NOT an engineer, chemist, or scientist ..... just a poor average guy what got locked up by eating that hard-boiled dinosaur egg, stumbled across the fact that eating that salty-tasting stuff on cave-walls will cause you to go poopie in an hour or so. It went something like this ..... most accurate translation that I could manage to come up with:
Ug Bug Dug Chug Goo (Dang. I'm hurting REALLY bad. I'll call this symptom "constipation".)
Choo Boo Doo Varamm Kadamm (Wonder if I eat this soft white rock, if that will make me poop.)
Bot Coolly Coolly Tub Hotty Hotty (Is cool down here in this cave, not hot like up-above.)
Sob Keer Dat Spat Uuhgaa Uuhgaa (Think I'll just lat down here, take a nap, see if this sh!t works.)
Whoa! Samm Ting Chappa Yin Yeer (Whoa! Something's already happening in there.)
Wow! Dat Rat Doo Wauky Wauky (Wow! Eating that rock worked. I feel so good now.)
Dug Chug Hug Lackey Lackey (I'll call this kind of rock "Laxative".)
See. Just simple research & development. That's been the mother of all invention for at least 20,000 years or so, give or take a decade or two on either side. The human body is no different. Someone, somewhere, sometime simply got curious about what something would do to the body, so gave it a try (Research), just like the shark liver thing you ask about.
Then, if the "Research" had any type of effect at all upon the "Researcher", unless it killed him or gave such a bad-trip that it was obvious nothing positive would ever come from it, the next phase of "Development" would begin. This was simple refining & fine-tuning, working towards the very best possible result. An example of this last stage of development in the R&D process would be when someone figured out that using 100% pure isopropyl alcohol to dissolve the shark-oil in was NOT the best choice, when the mixture was destined to be rubbed into the anal area.
P.S. Our cave-man guy above, who's real name has been lost to history, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, although close to 15,000 years posthumously, as the very first person to figure out what to do if you can't go poopie. The certificate explaining the what & why stuff affectionately refers to him as John "Easy-Going" Doe.
I'd stand back if I were them. It might explode!
Look how clean that water is
And it certainly wasn't "nature" that made it that way!
That's why they leave the countries they mess up, and come to ours, where there's still at least a few places that arent completely destroyed with pollution. Darwin would say to keep them out, but they seem to be better at survival than we are, cuz we keep our gates open and let the illegal ones stay.
We, as Americans, are doing just fine polluting and destroying our own environment. Foreigners that come to this country just help us out a little more.
Our water was well on its way to looking like that before the EPA was passed. I mean, we had a LAKE catch fire!
tberry
Not questioning your accuracy, just wondering. I know the River in Cleveland caught on fire. I didn't know about a lake. I'm interested in these things any chance you know where or which lake?
Yeah, I didnt want my previous statement to insinuate that Americans dont pollute, but at least we have some remaining vestiges of the EPA to keep some basic things clean.
I would bet that wharf where the shark was brought in is a regular fish market, and those are some nasty places no matter where you are in this world. Go to any port city in the US where shrimp, fish, etc come in, and you'll see all sorts of bio and artificial crap floating in the water.
If Teapublicans had their way and could get rid of government, such as the EPA, the waters in the US would look like that too. Why don't they just move to Pakistan?
EVERYONE needs to do their part to save the environment. Many on here are bitching and moaning about the water pollution in Pakistan, but they themselves probably are extremely wasteful and pollute the environment themselves.
Do you recycle everything you can? Newspapers, all cardboard, all plastic, aluminum, all steel items, etc.? They even take junk mail to recycle now. What are you driving?-- A gas guzzler that you drive 80 to 100 MPH on the highway? If you are not recycling, and driving efficiently, then you are a hypocritical pig. I recycle everything I can. My next vehicle will get far better gas mileage... Probably about twice what I get now. I may have to buy a diesel to do so.
TruePatriot,
What a lie that name is, being that you seem to hate a huge portion of this coutries citizens.
Your post is not only bigoted, it is just plain wrong.
Truepatriot, I'm a republican, an avid fisherman, a scuba diver, and Lake Ouachita where I sometimes dive has some of the best visibility of any lake in the country. Arkansas is a Republican state. We treat our waterways as though our future generations might use it. The EPA has it in it's top 10 cleanest in America. FAIL! Go to Pakistan.
Was that shark a Republican conservative or a liberal Democrat? Just thought I'd throw that in here to see what kind of a feeding furor might result.
you mean the same EPA that wants to tax us on the air we exhale?
About the posting on the gas guzzler go for it, but when the cost of fuel goes to $10.00 a gallon or better don't complain. The quickest way to help the environment is to cut greed. Put the more efficient vehicles on the road but keep the price of fuel at $3.00 a gallon then you will see progress across the board. There is a down side though the various retirement checks will be cut. During the Bush years everyone complained about the cost of fuel, but no one mentioned about the amount of the dividend checks the various companies including unions were getting for their retirement programs. Do you know that during the Viet Nam war it was exposed that the national council of churches were holding shares of stock in companies making arms for our troops, they too wanted a piece of the action.
Cygnus X-1 We don't need the EPA, we have plenty of lawyers ready to sue for any hint of pollution on the behalf of people who may or may not be affected. The EPA just does more regualtion to keep jobs out of our country.
it's hard to read and accept some of these comments, Pakistan is so beyond a water treatment system, all goes into the water, and I mean ALL..
Really? these creatures are harmless, sweet gentle giants! What a total shame.
Must have swallowed Bin Laden!!
Please people, get a life. It's a fish!!!!
ow snap that thing is frecken huge
Idiots!
the text under the picture says the shark was found dead...
Yep, it was probably the water that killed it.
I didn't see that text--found dead. It just says they pulled the carcass from the water. The fisherman could have killed it. How sad. Whale sharks are known to be quite docile and rare. On the other hand, I'm sure it will be eaten. I hate to see endangered species, such as this, hunted by ignorant fishermen. However, Pakistan isn't known for it's educated masses.
"Fishermen tie ropes around the carcass of a whale shark in a harbor in Karachi, Pakistan, on Feb. 7, 2012. The 40-foot whale shark was said to have been found dead in the Arabian Sea."
"Sorry Charley! Only the freshest dead shark is used in our canned shark meat! Freshly packed in natural formaldehyde!"
The text indicating the shark was found dead is under the top photo, not in the body of the article.
Under top Photo:
If you believe the fishermen that is. At this point it is open to speculation as to how the whale shark died.
Hopefully it wasn't killed by the fisherman as they are a threatened species due to their late maturation and low breeding success.
However since the whale shark was brought to shore by a fisherman it is probably not a great stretch that they killed the animal for food.
#Conservation_status
Even endangered species have to die sometime - I think most carcasses get eaten by sharks and other predators, but this one was found first. I've been in the water with them several times in Honduras, Belize and the Yucatan - beautiful, giant fish.
Water that full of visible trash is probably loaded with bacterial and toxic waste as well. If it was the poisoned water that killed it, it is probably not a good idea to eat it. But hey, we don't call 'em third world countries for no reason ! Note editor/reporter wrote "Reeled in". Fisherman tend to "reel" in live fish. A floating dead one is not a catch and we don't reel 'em in. One "recover's" dead bodies.
It got towed into the harbor, Ireadyou. The Arabian Sea where the animal was found is probably much cleaner. Taken a close look at the water in some American harbors lately? Probably not, but I'm guessing you never miss a chance to knock a "third world country" whenever you can. If the fishermen's lines snagged the dead whale shark, they did indeed "reel" it in. Dead whales float beneath the surface - you wouldn't necessarily see it before hand.
Can none of you read? The article states that the fish was spotted in seas 150 km (93 miles) from the city. It didn't die in the water in the harbor. It also states that the shark was unconscious at the time it was spotted and other reports said that it was found dead. Jeez! Get a grip!
I imagine the fishermen killed it by spear as it lay sleeping. It would have looked much worse if it had been found dead as it would have been chewed on by all sizes of sea life & would have been swollen, ragged, lost it's natural sheen, spotty, loss tissue tone, etc. Nothing about this shark looks as if it had been dead for any length of time beyond what it would have taken to kill it and drag it back to harbor. They should not have been paid for the carcass which has now encouraged them to go out and kill more endangered species for what amounted to a literal fortune in their circumstances.
They kill them for the Fin soup, it's a sex hangup thing.
When they spotted it, it was alive. They would have been watching it for the 10 days before it died. As soon as it died they certainly would have pounced.
I agree with you Xanadu1. I was thinking the same thing. It looks too fresh to have been found dead. But, they might have found it shortly after it died. I was just wondering why it looks like fresh blood in the water? We'll never know the truth. Just hope it wasn't killed by them.
Humans shouldn't eat animals, just plants. I know, why don't we just ban humans from eating. We could get the United Nations to enforce it. Everybody listens to them.
If the shark was found dead, and they were selling it... Does that mean they are selling meat of dead animals? I less presume that they eat oceanic road kill then they just found it "dead".
Sharks have to keep moving; otherwise they will sink. Like us, when we are snorkling or diving, we can cruise and stay still for a while. That is why when they need to sleep they go to the bottom of the ocean or shallow areas to rest on the sandy bottom or in marine caves. The shark could not have been dead when they found it; otherwise it would have sunk and if unable to defend itself or to outswim its attackers other sharks would have devoured it. Possibility: it was hurting because of its severed fin and that made it easy for them to catch it. They could not have found it dead. It probably finally died after the stress of capture. When fish and marine animals are out of the water, their stress levels increase tremendously.
I found the text. Either the article was updated, or it was hiding under the "newer" tab. I found it under the newer tab--(strange computer). (I wasn't in denial, really; I just didn't see it. LOL) However, the article did say that it was spotted 10 days previously in the seas (apparently still alive.) Nevertheless, it is sad that there is one less wonderous fish in the seas.
@Todd - Ironically, shark fin soup is the now the leading cause of impotence in men. The oceans are so polluted with lead, being heavy, lead settles in your furthest extremities (fins if your a shark).
Men eat the soup (full of lead) and guess where the lead settles?
those monsters!!!
1. Some of you people need to check the processes by which YOUR food arrives at your dinner table. Research the treatment of chickens and cows. Find out about the disgusting, anti-biotic laden water in which your "farm raised" fish are raised. In many instances, your chickens and cows have been fed their own processed feces. Many of you who are posting in this forum lobby against regulation of pollution from processing plants.
2.Many of OUR lakes and rivers are loaded with mercury and prescription meds.
Try not to show your bigotry and nationalism all in one post.
Have a nice day.
OMG :( poor whale!! I don't know how these people have the heart to do this! go fishing for FISh, not WHALES! all they gunna do is eat it >_<
People quit your whining about us evil americans destroying the planet. We are one of the youngest countries but have become more powerful than all these ancient cesspool countries. All these bleeding heart liberals can do is cry about carbon emisions and greenhouse gases. For every carbon footprint saving thing humans do in 5 years one burp from a volcano wipes our feeble attempts away. We don't control the planetary thermostat God does. There was an iceage before people. We don't need to apologize for american exceptionalism and if you want to be a communist move to china or russia or somewhere else. We fought in wars to keep our country free. I like whale sharks and it is stupid to wipe out sharks for fins. Get viagra and save the rhinos and other poor animals . Eat Indias dead relatives the cows. Steaks r awesome
What was the name of that chemical that bulk-fishermen were pouring into the water a decade or so ago to first knock-out and later suffocate fish? Of course it has been banned but still..... Pakistan hasn't bothered to cling to the details of agreements lately.
Poor fish. I don’t blame it for dying I mean look at the state of that
water, full of trash.
That was what our rivers harbors and seashores looked like when I was a kid. Now that we have dep and shipped all our jobs overseas, we cleaned the place up. Too bad the same companys that made the mess here can now do it there.
That's what many American waters used to look like. A reminder as to why we have Clean Air and Water Acts, the EPA and why government must regulate business.
My guess is that the shark surfaced and was killed. Do you really think these people care about any Endagered Species act? About as much as a Tea Partier!
voxrationis: It is true. Our waters WERE a mess. Regulations made the companies and cities stop dumping and clean up the water. So they solved the problem, they moved to where they don't have to do it. When we say we want our jobs to come back we had better be realistic. Do we really want THAT problem back? Because for the companies to come back the regulations and rules will have to be removed. In short they don't care about anything but the bottom line. Don't look for the jobs market to come back anytime soon. Also, there is bright red blood in that water. That doesn't come from a dead carcas.
You guys are fools if you think America is so clean. EPA and FDA is bought and paid for by Corporate America.
http://www.ewg.org/environment
I see filthy water like this all the time in the bay, by the marinas, as well as in canals.
For those of us old enough to remember it is a WHOLE LOT CLEANER THAN IT WAS.
JOregon is right. It's been a long time since "hypodermics washed up on the shore" was the norm on Long Island Sound. If you think America is polluted today, you'll never believe what it was like in the late 70s. I remember leaded gasoline, no catalytic converters, thick plastic bottles that will take another 60-300 years to decay, styrofoam everything and air that you could see while you were breathing it.
Never mind smoking everywhere (yes, even in hospitals) and what can only be called non-existant laws for factories dumping stuff into landfills.
Hot -in -Miami. If that is really a picture of you, who cares about dead sharks. Wow!
This is worse than the bloodshed in Syria.
Lefty
Just looking at the pictures huh?
Actually this is a good news story to use to develop your reading skills, it is really short.
Nobody killed it - It Died. Just like we will someday.
Let's hope they eat it, otherwise it will PISS ME OFF!!!
Stupid, ignorant people
eating it makes it ok? some things arent food.
They didn't kill it, it was already found dead. Other than the smell, what's so wrong with reeling in a dead fish?
BROKE IN FT LAUDERDALE You really made me laugh on that comment! No doubt they will NOW be eating it, and I understand they are looking for your address to send you some of it too (so you don't get pissed off)!
dead fish in water decay really fast, arent firm and shiny and dead things dont bleed
Brooke
It isn't always a good idea to eat things you find dead.
Although roadkill might not be too bad, depending on how desperate you are.
Are you staring at yourself in the mirror, again?
Are you staring at yourself in the mirror, again?
It may not be safe to eat. Depends on why it died. By the time they figure that out it might just be fit for the landfill.
Yeah, there's a reason the shark died- the looks of the water in the area might provide clues. I would pass on eating any part of it but that's just me!
Guess you can call it "sea kill" like "road kill'... since found dead .
It's so sad. Frankly, I don't know if I can go on anymore. This was the straw.
doesnt look like its been floating around dead...especially with what looks like blood.
The two puddles of blood are right under the two lifting points.
My thoughts as well, looks a little too fresh, the color has not even faded.
We found it that way. Right
dead things dont bleed
WTF do you mean by "dead things don't bleed"? Do you think blood evaporates upon death?
No, it congeals.
They bleed if you squeeze them with a couple of cables! No mystery.
It probably died trying to filter feed garbage! If it came in this close it was probably dying already. Things die even without man.
okdr. oz
Well said, harrison-4083307. A completely harmless, plankton eating, endangered creature. Why isn't someone arrested and prosecuted for this crap?
Arrested for what? I am really curious about what crime was committed.
The shark was already dead bub.
In this country it would be pollution. Littering.
Of course here in Oregon we just blow them up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBgThvB_IDQ
What would the charge be?
Why are they endangered? They just eat plankton and nothing is going to eat them? So what's the deal?
They are slow moving. Trollers catch them and a fair amount of people will illegally fish with little fear. i have travelled a fair amount and where there once was fish are only tiny things or mass amounts of jelly fish.
Yeah, figured it had to come back to us somehow.
Whale shark dinners for all!
Sushi night?
yeah u r!
I think Skeeter is coming on to you Hot-in-Miami =P.
I don't know if She's actually from Miami but She's actually HOT! There truly is a God...
Why even pull it out of the water?! Let nature do it's thing and the circle of life continue. This shark could've fed other sea creatures. Not brought on land and SOLD. I'm disgusted by these people.
And let a few thousand people starve to death? Brilliant idea.
As if the world needs more starving children.
Gutsy question. You're a shark. Sharks are winners and they don't look back because they don't have necks. Necks are for sheep.
I am proud to be the shepherd of this herd of sharks...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZbsrm15Z9M
Relax Cap'n. Tomorrow there will be 350,000 brand new children (though not all will be starving) and the day after that - 350,000 more - and the day after and the day after ...
Jay - No one is being arrested because it was found DEAD! Sure, someone could be lying, but it is not like it is a crazy idea for the shark to have died. To get that big it was probably pretty old, so it makes sense. Just because an animal is endangered doesn't mean it can't die naturally.
You mean things just die sometime without human intervention? Weird, wacky nature. Go figure...
Pakistan looks like a wonderful place to visit!
And we complain about how hard we have it here in the US............ well...consider this... little do these "Paki's"know that in a few years...the harbor that they are in now will be underwater. When massive hunks of ice the size of NY State break off the ice sheets of the South Pole, (recently happened)...it's just a matter of time before someone will be affected very badly!! These people will have to move "somewhere"!!! Troubling times are coming...............
Let me guess......Hmmmmm... I bet you think it is George W. Bush's fault.
you know , ticajun, they are gonna find a way to blame bush for this.......laughed my ass off! keep it up.....some of these folks are wound up waaaay to tight!
Ticajun and Kilroy. Bush ain't to blame for the mess were in, just the jackasses like you that voted for him.
Shark doesn't taste as good since they took the dolphin out of it!
hey rob, like i said some of these people like you are wound up way to tight, calling names on a computer ? how old are you ? 12 ? really your guy has not fixed anything yet.....zero, nada,bupkiss,nope nothing at all. seems to me you need to direct your anger at him and call him a jackass for not doing his job, not voting for obummer seemed like a good idea at the time, and you know what ? it still is!!!!!
note: i am not calling you a jackass. cause you have already done that for yourself...
LeeLeec - What do you think they bought it for? They are going to sell the meat. What is wrong with these people eating it, versus animals eating it? Seems to me a lot of these comments have views based on the people in the pictures involved in them.
good to know some people still have a brain apart from only having a heart for anything that's dead.
To those who don't believe that the Lock Ness Monster could exist...
I hear there was a high demand for the remains, from the Gorton's Fisherman and Mrs. Paul (related to Ron & Rand?), but ultimately Alpo won the bidding.
article states ''found dead''---my question is -how did it get dead? suspicious -need more info.
Duh! It stopped breathing!
chochabalua---i would be found dead too if someone killed me-definitely would stop breathing--question is---- natural causes or human action causing the death---
Sometimes sharks die. They aren't immortal.
The odor must be stifling. No wonder the shark died...
The odor must be stifling. No wonder the shark died...
Looking at the folks on the shore there the water probably was cleaner............
The color looks pretty vivid to have been dead. Fish lose their color within minutes of being caught. I am sure it will be eaten, probably going on the menu as some special at restaurants all over the country.
That water does look pretty sad, but before anyone gets all high and rightous take a look at the harbor in any large city. Swim in the Hudson river anyone? Don't forget the Cuyahoga River caught fire in Cleveland.
This might prompt Rubio's to head to Karachi.
At 40 feet this one would be almost a world record of fully documented whale sharks. Bigger much ones have been reported but not fully documented.
They are endangered because of being hunted in several parts of the world up until a few years ago, being hit by ships since they are slow moving, and because they have a very slow maturation rate. They take 30 years at least to get to breeding age.
idiots, those sharks are endangered, maybe no more than 5,000 left on the planet. they are tracked around the world by dive shops. did they check this one for a radio tag? most of them have them now. truth is dumb, uneducated people kill these sharks everywhere. third world countries are notorious for it. sold for 18,000 absolutely stupid. that shark could have sold scuba tours for $200 each for 30 years, they would have made 18,000 a month for 30 years. dumb poor people proving how worthless they are. reminds me of occupy wall street. Also shark found dead? no way, predators would go after the carcass fast, or it would sink in the ocean. i once saw one of these get hit by a 45' fishing boat a full speed, the boat sunk in 2 minutes, the shark swam away, they are tougher than nails.
Dude it was FOUND dead.
Even endangered Species die without being killed.
So someone said it was found dead ... was it found dead? If I wasn't suppose to kill it and no one was watching, of course I found it dead. But who knows? Greed usually wins out.
There is one sure way to tell. Was someones boner or lack there of involved? Apparently, once boners are involved, no animal is safe.
Not to wish any ill will but hopefully anyone that eats the shark will get very sick and experience diarrhea for days. LOL
You don't think their water already does that to them?
Wow Joyce...if that is how you think when you are not wishing ill will, I shudder to think what you would be like when you are angry or do want to wish harm to others.
Seriously, I am nearly speechless at your apparent ignorance. But then again, you did end your upbeat post with a classic LOL, so all is good, right?!
all of you are idiots..
Hey everyone! We found are leader! Thanks for coming back to us Jon!
Jon can't be the leader. He never comes to the meetings. He can lead the imbeciles, though.
not "are" leader..."our" leader
Be careful Allen, you'll get kicked out of the idjits.
Allen, your out! turn in your idiot badge!
LOL, somebody beat me to it.
Dude, please use the correct YOU'RE
Thanks.
Grammar police...lol.
Hmm..."found dead" and "spotted in the water 10 days ago"
Looks more fresh and shiney than smoething that has been floating dead for 10 days. Plus if it had been dead for 10 days in the water it would be in poor condition as birds, fish, sharks etc. would be feeding on it. plus you can see fresh blood below in the picture. Doesn't seem to add up or the article is not doing a good job of reporting it.
Flip That.
Spotted in the water 10 days ago (alive maybe) then found dead.
Probably was dying from the pollution, then it died.
I thought about that also but it doesn't make much sense. So they spotted out in the ocean alive and came back 10 days later and found it dead? I think it implies it was spotted in the water dead. I guess they could have tracked it for 10 days but that is not likley. Plus if it's worth $18,750 they would most likely kill it. Hard to believe it would be worth that much afer being dead for 10 days. I don't think the article give us all the correct details.
Often the reason we see these creatures is because they are dying.
I'm not very familiar with Whale Sharks but other species will only come close to shore and/or swim close to the surface if there is something wrong with them.
Even though the whale may not be used for food, as someone else pointed out, the fins are worth a hefty chunk of change as an aphrodisiac.
@ JOregon, to think that increasing your sexual prowess is more important to saving a species from extinction is beyond short sighted and selfish and not to mention detrimental to our own species. Educate yourself.
Educate yourself What'sInThere. JOregon never said he participated in the consumption of shark fin aphrodisiacs. However, the Chinese do make large profits off of shark fins. Ever heard of shark fin soup? Obviously not or else you'd know it is considered a delicacey.
There is a ban on hunting sharks for this exact reason. Fishermen catch the sharks, cut only their fins off and release them. The sharks then can't swim and die, leaving the carcasses to sink to the bottom.
Ta-Da!
Google it if you don't believe me.
What'sIn What'sup?
Educate yourself.
I have NEVER advocated any kind of aphrodisiac. I don't have a need for an aphrodisiac, I'm fine. If I had a health problem where I did need something there are these popular pills...
Simply was stating a fact; a reason the Sharks are killed is for the fin, just as the Black Rhino is killed for the horn.
I do not approve of it at all.
Are people honestly trying to say that humanity has totally polluted the ocean enough that it will kill a giant fish simply for breathing it? If any of you have ever had an aquarium you will realize that many fish are very tough. I am pro conservation and think that we should conserve our resources until we can leave earth, but think of this;there are 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water on this planet, and the ocean is fairly good at self adjustment, how else do you think that all that sea life has continued being around for millions of years. If the ecosystem was as fragile as people claim, there would be no life on earth.
your point is so clear... thank you .... man is so pathetic, selfish and insensetive to other creatures that have the same right to be on this earth as they do. man needs to learn to repect others and nature... if it was dead, it was natures food, not man's show toy
@ joregon these sharks are filter feeders and
swim close to the surface to fed on plankton not because there dyeing and this
makes them really easy targets threes no way this shark was dead for 10 days it
would have been half eaten buy other scavengers and bled out its fare to fresh
looking someone should be made accountable for this what’s the point of
protecting them if no action is taken ?
Diver
Where did you get the idea it was dead for 10 days? At least read the story:
According to the paper it was found dead by the pier.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/332908/cranes-struggle-to-fish-out-dead-shark-from-karachi-sea/
"TruePatriot-445959
If Teapublicans had their way and could get rid of government, such as the EPA, the waters in the US would look like that too."
It’s not that conservatives wish to destroy the environment; it’s just not within the
Constitutional authority for the National Government to regulate such matters. Legally
that authority has been constitutionally reserved to the States to regulate.
@Elihu-4182491,
Without the EPA environmental matters would be handled by the local governments or authorities who often turn blind eye's for small fee's.
Don't think so? Take a drive behind one of them super markets in your neighborhood and look at the filth. If you have an honest code enforcement officer they will be as clean as the front.