Tiger shark's unexpected 'selfie' goes viral after phone incident
An extraordinary incident occurred during an underwater tour in the Bahamas. A tiger shark named Jitterbug swallowed a phone with its camera turned on. As a result, a recording from inside its mouth made its way online.
A group of tourists went to the Bahamas to admire tiger sharks from the deck of an underwater vessel. One of the main attractions was a shark-feeding session during which a unique event transpired.
The shark Jitterbug, well-known to the guides, swallowed a waterproof phone belonging to the tour captain. The device, which was continuously recording video, remained inside the animal's mouth for a while.
Rare footage from inside a shark
The video from the phone shows the inside of the tiger shark's mouth, including the characteristic folds of the digestive tract, rows of serrated teeth, and muscle movements enabling water to pass through the gills.
The phone was spat out by the animal before it reached the esophagus, and its waterproof case protected the device, which was recovered in nearly perfect condition.
According to the photographer, the shark wanted to take a selfie
Underwater photographer Ken Kiefer, who witnessed the incident, described it on the Daily Mail website. "I was watching the shark chew on the housing of the phone. I figured the phone was gone and then saw [Jitterbug] spit it out," he recalled. He also joked that Jitterbug apparently "was trying to get some selfies."
The video quickly gained popularity online, and the participants of the Bahamas tour gained a story they will remember for years to come.
Sharks not as dangerous as painted
Although shark-related incidents often stir emotions, the likelihood of an attack on a human remains very low. According to data from the International Shark Attack File, there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide in 2023. Only 10 of these resulted in fatalities.
