California aquarium bull shark. A similar bull shark was spotted by a state conservation officer in July 2009 in a rare sighting on the Alabama River.
A state conservation officer said Tuesday that he spotted a 3- to 4-foot-long bull shark earlier this month swimming in the Alabama River about 80 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Alabama Marine Police Officer Jeremy Alford said that on July 11, shortly after he and fellow officer Daniel Boutwell checked a boater south of the Claiborne Lock and Dam in Monroe County, he noticed a fin zipping through the water a few yards away.

"I said, 'Is that what I think it is?' and Daniel said it was a bull shark, that he had seen them before."

The shark, known for its fierce and sometimes deadly attacks in shallow waters along the coast, is common in salt water but has been found in brackish and fresh water as well. Typically, the fish does not stray so far up river, Alford said.

"It was swimming along the surface in water about 7 feet deep, just south of the dam," Alford said. "I have had reports of bull sharks along the river on occasion over the last three or four years. And on the Tombigbee last year, people far inland caught stingrays as far north as Bates Lake. This is the farthest north (in the Alabama River) for a bull shark I have heard of, though."

On the Mississippi River, bull sharks have been reported as far north as Illinois.

Alford said the shark was just yards from where Claiborne Lake rises on the north side of the dam to some 34.9 feet deep. Claiborne Lake runs for 60 miles, ending at the dam at Miller's Ferry.

The lake is used for barge transportation, but also is a popular recreational area, with scores of people skiing, boating, swimming and fishing daily. An RV campground located near the lock and dam stays packed, according to campers who frequent the grounds. Attempts to contact park workers were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Signs posted near the campground warn visitors of many dangerous species in the area, including venomous snakes, alligators and other wildlife. But sharks are not included in the warnings.

Alford said the shark he saw should pose no real hazard for lake visitors.

"When they lock barges through, fish can go from one side to the other. It would be possible. I really don't think there is cause for concern, but it is possible. After all, they were here before we were."

Knowing bull sharks the way I do, my guess is its not as "rare" as they think. I think it would blow people minds where they actually go and exist regularly.

North40R helped a guy get one off of a troutline in McIntosh on the Tombigbee river last year. I think he has some pics of it.

Im good friends with Jeremy. He could have just jumped in a ripped his head off. Jokers huge.

His last statement makes my blood boil. "After all, they were here before we were." I don't get why we always here that. Who cares. It's not like claiming a good spot on the beach, or getting a good seat at a sporting event. In FL they talk about us invading the gator's habitat, in the NW they talk about us encroaching on the bear's habitat, in CA they talk about us moving into the cougar's environment. We can't get in the water because that's the sharks territory. Where the hell are we supposed to go? I realize he didn't actually say that, but that's usually the context those statements are used in. Humans don't belong somewhere because some other animal does. Sorry for the rant. I'm just sick of the animals are more important than people mentality.

I first started hearing the statements that "They were here before us" and "We're in their habitat" back in the seventies and eighties. Those lines have been spouted for so long that you expect to hear it now every time there's an animal attack or an animal is spotted in an unusual area. I've gotten to the point where almost every time I hear these statements, I get the impression it's someone trying to sound smart and sophisticated.
As far as sharks go, they can whine about them being endangered all they want. I have been going to the beach since the sixties, and I see far more sharks in one visit than I would have seen in two or three decades combined. Sometimes these conservation efforts end up throwing off the natural balance just like over fishing can. Look at how well the red snapper fishery has been managed.

I am always one to say "so and so was here before us and will be after we are gone" mainly because I have to move so many snakes at work. Morons freak out because there's a rat snake on the side walk and our facility is in the middle of the woods...wow, really?


When I use that phrase it has nothing to do with animals being more important than us and everything to do with making people calm the hell down. I hate drama and stupidity and theres plenty of both. Just like all the news around here reporting huge schools of "rare" sharks events lately....and every other no news issue they can report on. Its ignorant and naive.

Here's a post from last year on sharks up in the rivers

I've seen them by gravine island!!!

Caught a small sand shark in the river above Dead Lake on a spinner bait.