Aussie homeowner shocked to find a dead SHARK dumped on her driveway
A homeowner got a nasty shock after discovering a dead shark in the driveway of her rural estate.
Vicki Matchett, 62, discovered the carcass of the bronze whaler outside her farm at Valuta Creek, near Goolwa, in south-east South Australia, on Sunday.
The chef and business owner was on her way to deliver pastries to her local market when she noticed a strange object on the grass.
“I looked over a little bit and saw this fin and I thought ‘that looks like a shark,’” Ms Matchett said 7News.
“On closer inspection it was a shark, it was about five feet long.”
Ms Hatchett said she does not know who dumped the shark in her driveway or where the creature was captured.
Her rural estate is about 5 miles from Goolwa Beach, where sharks have been sighted before.
There were several bloodstains on the shark’s head and part of its fin was torn off, but there did not appear to be any hooks or tags on the animal.
A homeowner got a nasty shock after discovering a dead shark (pictured) in the driveway of her South Australian property
Ms Hatchett said the shark (pictured) was too heavy to lift so she had to tie the creature’s tail to the tow bar of her car and drive it to another location for burial.
Ms Matchett hit out at the people who dumped the shark in her driveway, describing the brutal act as ‘barbaric’.
“It’s very disrespectful and I don’t know what kind of person does that,” she said.
Ms Hatchett said she often finds rubbish and other discarded items around her property.
She said the shark was too heavy to lift, so she had to tie the creature’s tail to her car’s trailer hitch and drive it to a place where it could be buried.
Mrs Hatchett has since laid the shark to rest in her vegetable garden.
Conservationist and founder of the Shark and Ray Collective Sarah Cameron said she was disappointed by the inhumane treatment of the creature.
‘I don’t think anyone accepts this kind of cruelty. “If you’re going to use that shark for consumption, but if you don’t, you should safely return it to the ocean,” she said.
The South African government introduced stricter laws in December to prevent the overfishing of endangered marine species such as sharks and rays.
Mrs Matchett (pictured) attacked the people who dumped the shark in her driveway, describing the brutal act as ‘barbaric’
The rules, recommended by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, also ban recreational and commercial fishing for endangered species.
These include the Whitefin Swellshark, Oceaninc Whitetip shark and the Green Sawfish.
Individuals who violate the rules will be fined $20,000.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Primary Industries South Australia told Daily Mail Australia the agency had not received any official reports indicating the incident may have been a form of dumping activity.
“As the dumping of carcasses is a local authority matter, residents should contact their local council for advice on how to dispose of carcasses,” the spokeswoman said.