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Shark Selfie by a Man in Florida Triggers Outrage

By Kanika Gupta | Update Date: Feb 27, 2016 05:57 PM EST

A recent case of a Florida man dragging a baby shark out of the Atlantic Ocean to click a selfie with it has incited a response of outrage amongst the online community. The video that was posted on Facebook by Ashleigh Walters, a local anchor from WPTV, an NBC affiliate, shows the man pulling the small shark out of the water by its tail, pinning it down on the sand as he gets himself clicked by people holding smartphones. The video also shows a man dragging the shark back into the water to release it, as reported by The Christian Science Minitor

This incident with shark selfie grabbed too much attention because it came soon after a dolphin in Argentina died tragically in a similar event when it was pulled out out the sea by the beachgoers in Santa Terisita. Images were posted by Hernan Coria online that showed a crowd grouped around a man who pulled a dolphin, one of the rare species, out of the water and carried it to the beachgoers so that they can pose with it and stroke the dolphin. After their selfie business, the crowd left the dolphin to die on the beach. The wildlife groups wildly criticized the incident with regards to the risks involved in taking selfies with the wild animals, says The Christian Science Monitor

"If you see a Franciscana dolphin, help return it to the water. These situations can lead to death," an Argentine Wildlife Foundation said in a tweet that included a picture of people petting the dolphin.

"The Franciscana, like other dolphins, cannot remain long above water. It has a very thick and greasy skin that provides warmth, so the weather quickly causes dehydration and death," said the group.

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