Spanish man helps shark in need

A Spanish man has helped a shark deliver its young in Fuengirola.

Antonio Calvillo was driving to work early in the morning when something caught his eye on the beach.

He saw something thrashing around on Fuengirola beach and, at first, he believed that it was a dolphin. But when he pulled in and went over to the animal he realised that it was a blue shark.

Mr Calvillo rang emergency services and then decided to try to drag the animal out to sea by the tail “because it seemed tired, but not injured or hurt”.

Calvillo told the newspaper La Opinion de Malaga: “While (the shark) was thrashing about we noticed a little tail coming out of its stomach.”

Realising that the animal was giving birth, Calvillo applied pressure to its stomach. The shark then proceeded to give birth to ten pups.

Calvillo said: “My first thought was that if something happens to the mother at least the babies will live.”

Two Guardia Civil officers then arrived and helped to drag the exhausted shark back into the water. Eventually the blue shark recovered enough to be able to swim out to sea unaided.

Blue sharks are seen regularly in Costa del Sol waters. They are considered dangerous as there have been recorded attacks on humans.

Calvillo said: “I’ll never forget this amazing experience.”