PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Beachgoers along Florida’s Gulf Coast recently witnessed a rare encounter between a shark and a stingray and the entire incident was caught on video.
Chloe Peterson was one of the vacationers who filmed the brief tussle in the shallow waters off Panama City Beach during the morning of July 31.
The video shows the moment when the shark’s fin and tail appeared above the waves, while the large stingray’s fins could also be seen surfacing during the encounter.
“Oh my God, is it eating it?” a witness can be heard wondering in a video posted to social media.
After the short standoff, both the shark and the stingray appeared to swim off in their own directions.
SHARKS AND TARPONS AND MANATEES, OH MY!
Shark appears to battle stingray off the coast of Panama City Beach, Florida.
(Chloe Peterson via Storyful / FOX Weather)
According to NOAA research, interactions between sharks and stingrays are not uncommon, as both are carnivorous species.
Biologists say that, in some cases, sharks may feed on stingrays, but it is unclear whether that was the intention during this recent encounter off the Florida coast.
Also unknown is what type of shark was involved, though blacktip, spinner, bull, lemon, tiger and nurse sharks are commonly found along the Gulf Coast.
Occasionally, some shark species may mistake swimmers for prey and briefly swim after humans.
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File reported that out of 88 shark-human interactions worldwide in 2024, 47 were classified as unprovoked attacks.
SHARKS AND TARPONS AND MANATEES, OH MY!
The Sunshine State is annually named the shark attack capital of the world, with Central Florida often leading in reported encounters.
Experts say factors such as tides, the presence of prey and the number of visitors in the water all play major roles in the frequency of shark incidents.
While a few dozen shark bites are reported each year, fatal encounters are considered rare, with the last deadly shark attack along Florida’s coastline reported in 2010.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advises swimmers and surfers to avoid entering the water during twilight hours, when sharks are most active.
Beachgoers are also urged not to swim with open wounds or while wearing shiny jewelry, as both can attract marine life.
Many beach lifeguards employ a purple flag system to alert the public to the presence of dangerous marine life, including jellyfish, stingrays and sharks.
