Florida Sheriff's Video Reveals Shark-Infested Waters

A video taken from the skies above Florida's Gulf Coast makes it clear just how many sharks might be lurking during an excursion to the beach. "A day in the water is a fun way to beat our Florida heat, but it's important to be aware of the dangers below the water as well as above," the Pasco Sheriff's Office captioned the video taken by its aviation unit and shared online. The sharks are seen north of Tampa, near the Anclote Sandbar and Anclote Island, CBS News reports.

The Anclote Key Preserve State Park is home to many types of sharks including bull sharks, blacktip sharks, nursesharks, lemon sharks, bonnethead sharks, and great hammerheads, and the aerial video appears to show dozens of blacktip sharks, which can grow as long as 6 feet. The sharks were headed north on their annual migration journey, which typically goes through the end of June, experts tell WTSP. "Blacktip sharks are one of the more common ones known to bite surfers," says one biologist and shark researcher. "Even though this is not a surf area, they could still misidentify you as a potential prey item." The sheriff's office shared the video as part of National Water Safety Month, which started May 1, Fox 35 reports. (More Florida stories.)