Is it Really Raining Sharks in Myrtle Beach?

You’ve probably heard the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” but what about sharks? Recently in Myrtle Beach, the forecast apparently called for something a little more toothy. A group of disc golfers got a jaw-dropping surprise when an osprey flew by and dropped its lunch: a hammerhead shark!

An Osprey’s Carry-Out Order Goes Awry

Jonathan Marlowe and his three friends were enjoying a round of disc golf at Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — a spot they love for its natural setting and wild residents, including owls, alligators, raccoons, and snakes. But that day, they witnessed something far beyond your average wildlife sighting.

As they teed off at hole 11, an osprey flew overhead, talons gripping what looked like a freshly caught meal. Suddenly, two crows flew at the osprey, which quickly changed course and headed for the nearest tree. In its haste, however, it dropped its lunch.

Marlowe and his friends quickly went to investigate, and to their surprise, the osprey’s abandoned meal wasn’t just any fish — it was a foot-long hammerhead shark! “I’ve never even seen a hammerhead in real life,” Marlowe told ABC News, “and here’s a baby one on the ground that literally fell out of the sky.”

Initially, the group considered trying to get the shark back to the ocean. However, after enduring an aerial attack from the osprey, being carried by its sharp talons through the air, and then being dropped onto a disc golf course about half a mile from the water, the little shark unfortunately wouldn’t have survived.

Ospreys and Hammerheads

Ospreys are specialized, piscivorous hunters, which means that they mainly eat fish. They have incredible eyesight and can spot their prey underwater even while flying in the air above. What’s more, they can adjust their dive path to account for the light’s refraction in the water. Once they pick a target, they lock on, dive feet first into the water, grab the fish with their powerful talons, and fly off.

While sharks aren’t exactly a typical meal for ospreys, a baby, foot-long hammerhead is just the right size for one of these birds to catch and carry away. The waters near the disc golf course are home to various hammerhead species, including great hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran), bonnetheads (Sphyrna tiburo), scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini), and Carolina hammerheads (Sphyrna gilberti). These sharks are usually born in late spring and summer and spend their early lives in shallow coastal waters, growing and sharpening their hunting skills before heading out to the open ocean.

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