Hammerhead Shark Caught and Released on North Carolina Beach

Fishermen in Avon, North Carolina, reeled in a hammerhead shark on Aug. 16, before throwing it back into the water.

The shark can be seen being pulled onto the beach as a crowd of people look on.

Facebook user Alisa Lapp told Storyful that the shark measured at 11 feet.

WAVY.com reported that the shark was captured by Bryan Lester, of Frisco, and his son, River.

Lester apparently hauled in a hammerhead shark one day prior to that in Avon, reported ABC11. That shark was also released back into the water.

Hammerhead sharks can get quite large, growing up to 20 feet in length and weighing up to 1,000 pounds, according to National Geographic.

“Found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, far offshore and near shorelines, hammerheads are often seen in mass summer migrations seeking cooler water. They are gray-brown to olive-green on top with off-white undersides, and they have heavily serrated, triangular teeth. Their extra-tall, pointed dorsal fins are easily identifiable,” National Geographic says.

It adds: “Most hammerhead species are fairly small and are considered harmless to humans. However, the great hammerhead’s enormous size and fierceness make it potentially dangerous, though few attacks have been recorded.”

In June, a fisherman reeled in a 14-foot-long hammerhead shark, calling it the “catch of multiple lifetimes.”

“Our main focus was to get her released quickly,” he said, Fox News reported. “Well after 30-40 min of us holding her up into the current in 3-4 [feet] of water we were faced with accepting the fact that she was done.”

Credit: Alisa Lapp via Storyful