Sharks wash up on Montrose Beach

MONTROSE, Ala. (WALA) - It seems Shark Week has taken on a whole new meaning in south Alabama. More than 14 sharks washed ashore just a little more than a mile down Montrose Beach.

FOX10 showed video of the occurrence to several Marine and Fishery Biologists. They said they know it’s a shark but are not sure what species.

“I can't tell what type of shark this is. The bodies are decomposed so bad I can't tell what species this is,” said biologist Chris Denson.

Some suggested they could be small bull sharks. They said the sight is not uncommon along the Gulf Coast.

"First part of July we had a call from someone about sharks on shore,” said Dr. Marcus Drymon, Fisheries Biologist with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. “Turns out they were eight to 10 bull sharks.”

The exact cause of death remains a mystery, but researchers said salinity really affects these fish, and anything from a pulse of fresh water or extremely dry weather can change the amount of salt in the water.

Don't be alarmed. Researchers also said this is pretty normal, and they often conduct tests during suspicious sightings.

“When we get a call for a fish kill, we respond while fish are fresh to get a good I.D. We'll look at a variety of factors such as environment, water condition, oxygen," said Denson.

“It's natural. I mean, it's distressing to see ... but it's not unusual,” said Dr Drymon.