Surfers Rescue Baby Great White Shark (VIDEO)

If you saw a great white shark while surfing, chances are you'd swim as quickly as you could in the other direction.

Unless you're like this group of surfers.

Over the weekend, beach goers rescued what is thought to be a baby great white shark near the Venice Pier in California, CBS Los Angeles reported.

The shark washed ashore with a fish hook in its mouth, and bystanders quickly rushed to its rescue.

One viewer of the incident, Elvia, sent the video to the station KTLA, calling the rescuers "heroes."

Last month, another beach goer snapped a photo of what some believe is a great white shark stuck in a surfer's wave off the coast of Encinitas, California.

The Pew Environment Group reports that nearly 30 percent of sharks are at risk of extinction, and shark fin bans are currently a hotly debated topic around the world.

We're glad this little guy is ok.

WATCH the original footage of the rescue:

---
WATCH a report on the rescue:

Comments

[Brigette]

05:57 PM on 10/02/2011

Honestly most of the video looked like a bunch of fools with cameras standing around pointing and saying "aww", but doing nothing. The surfer who stuck his hand it's mouth though deserves his own nature show, that takes guts. Good for the surfers who saved it.

[HHUA]

04:42 PM on 09/30/2011

Sadly I doubt the little guy made it. I don't think the hook in his mouth alone would make him wash up. More likely he was severely deteriorated from the effects of having that hook in his mouth for who knows how long. Probably, too far gone to have survived but it's heartwarming to see people try to save lives instead of hurting them.

[jonhenriwolfe]

08:33 PM on 09/29/2011

almost all higher order predators can be credited with cognitive intelligence, that is why they are higher order predators.... given our LACK of understanding of many of them and the almost complete lack of data on most sea creatures, it is entirely possible this shark will remember this event!... if it survives ... how it remembers this event is another thing entirely though.

[waynecourt1]

02:28 PM on 09/29/2011

20 years from now will be story og 30ft great white eats surfer

[IMOPINIONH8D]

07:14 PM on 09/29/2011

Thats what I thought.

[linkmaster]

10:55 AM on 10/06/2011

or, 30ft Great White untangles surfer from fishing net and calls 911

[oliver clothesov]

10:39 AM on 09/29/2011

brave indeed. putting your hand in a meat grinder.

[KRTaylor]

09:05 AM on 09/29/2011

I've helped cut a few baby alligators loose from fishing lines so guess I'm in the same category as those surfers. That would be "Dinner waiting to be caught" when the rescued critters are big enough.

[AlisonCarnie]

10:30 AM on 09/29/2011

... you are a hero to me.

[Politidelic]

05:53 PM on 09/29/2011

Who knows? Maybe animals have a way of remembering things like that that we don't. He could smell you and say "Hey! That's that guy who saved me when I was young!"

[IMOPINIONH8D]

07:15 PM on 09/29/2011

Its a shark. The next sound would be chomp.

[c00kieo21]

08:49 AM on 09/29/2011

How wonderfully brave these men were. I am so happy when I see good deeds like this done with no expected reward except exhilaration.

[zeltnerb]

07:10 AM on 09/29/2011

These surfers are great people!

[Westies]

06:55 AM on 09/29/2011

The guy taking out the hook was really brave! Very nice to see all those surfers whom enjoy the ocean every day appreciate and respect the wildlife they share it with. Great guys!!

[ccsysglf]

06:32 AM on 09/29/2011

baby shark thanks you.....

[Ken Koziol]

05:51 AM on 09/29/2011

Listen to the woman in the back ground, I don't see he helping. Boy if I was to get bit by a baby white shark after this I would hunt down that woman and bite her.
This animal will grow up and won't care if you live or die.

[c00kieo21]

08:52 AM on 09/29/2011

Listen! The shark does what it has to do, and humans do what they "feel" they must do . Therein lies the difference. Get it?

[Ken Koziol]

02:00 PM on 09/29/2011

Yea I do, so it were me there I would have shark for lunch.

[Politidelic]

05:40 PM on 09/29/2011

I'd say that some humans fit that description better - of not caring if you live or die.

[spikedance]

04:06 AM on 09/29/2011

Way to go, guys!

[rlpublic001]

02:58 AM on 09/29/2011

Hope this doesn't come back to bite them.

[bbbriannairbbb]

02:08 AM on 09/29/2011

very nice short film but they forgot to get the fin...

[Carmen Slade]

12:53 PM on 09/29/2011

They weren't chinese...

[Politidelic]

05:55 PM on 09/29/2011

drip.

[mgjj]

12:49 AM on 09/29/2011

There are still good people in the world! Betcha ya they were Democrats. :)

[Lon Calhoun]

01:18 AM on 09/29/2011

scrolled down to find the first idio t to bring politics into the article. Your him.

[Michael Hallmark]

01:39 AM on 09/29/2011

you meant "you're"

[IMRITENOTU]

01:55 AM on 09/29/2011

Oh what a bamstick you are, do you even politicise your Cereal?