Doctors Reveal Heartbreaking Update on Viral Hammerhead Shark

The viral shark story that we shared with you yesterday just got a heartbreaking update.

Yesterday, photos of a 14-foot Great hammerhead shark began to circulate on social media as people were shocked to see such a large shark washed up on a beach that is popular with families and beachgoers along the Gulf Coast and beyond.

The massive shark could be seen hanging from a lift as onlookers took photos and videos in awe. As the story made its rounds on social media, some of the most popular questions came from those wondering how the shark died.

The individuals that pulled the shark to shore contacted Coastal Resources who swiftly arrived to take the shark off of the beach. The Coastal Resources acknowledged how sad it was that the shark passed away but stressed how rare it was to see "a Great Hammerhead in such good condition."

Coastal Resources called in other agencies to come in to gather data on the shark and what they discovered was just as shocking as finding the shark itself.

Dr. Drynom from Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology, a researcher who focuses on coastal sharks, sent a team to perform a necropsy on the shark. Though the cause of death has not yet been determined, the researchers did discover that the shark was pregnant with 40 shark pups!

Not only was this poor shark deceased on shore, but learning about the 40 pups only makes the story that much more heartbreaking.

Like we said in the original story, as families head out to the beach this warm season, be aware of what's in the water and share that space with us.