Giant Great White Shark Found Abandoned in Wildlife Park Gets a New Home: Report

A file image of a Great White Shark swimming past a maritime vessel. Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

A dead 4,000-pound great white shark that was suspended in fluids inside an abandoned Australian wildlife park has found a new home.

The shark, which has been called Rosie, was discovered by urban explorer Luke McPherson, or “Lukie Mc,” who posted images and a video of the animal on social media. He found it inside the Wildlife Wonderland Park in Bass, south of Melbourne. His video of the finding went viral on YouTube.

After images of the shark were shared en masse on social media platforms, some people called for it to be moved to safety. According to the Daily Mail, some vandals tried to break into the shark tank, which was filled with green embalming fluid.

Crystal World and Prehistoric Journeys in Meadows, Australia, said it would rehome the shark, according to the Mail.

But a spokesman, Shane McAlister, said it will difficult to restore shark, which died in 1998. He said vandals threw trash inside the shark’s tank.

“It’s a remarkable thing, for starters with all the vandalism and everything that has happened to the actual wildlife park and to Rosie’s tank,” he said.

He added: “'I had to go down there [to the wildlife park] and do a patrol and make sure no delinquents were going to vandal Rosie’s tank any further.”

The Mail reported that Rosie is now safe and sound, without elaborating.

“To bring her back and actually put her on show for people is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do this and I’m just very blessed and proud to be a part of it,” he said, adding, “Rosie herself has had a pretty amazing journey.”

A person behind the Save Rosie the Shark Facebook Page said that the shark would have probably been destroyed.

“She was close to being destroyed and thrown away,” Trent Hooper told the Mail. “It’s such a great outcome. Australia rallied together to save Rosie and get her a forever home at Crystal World.”

He continued, “It has been an exhausting week but we are very happy with Crystal World coming to the rescue.”

Derelict Wildlife Park

The discovery was made at a derelict wildlife park in Victoria, which reportedly has been taken over by squatters, as reported by Vice.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment closed down the park in 2012 due to abuse of wildlife and not having a license to display some animals to the public, according to reports.

Dom Krapski set out to find the wildlife sanctuary several weeks ago before posting photos of the shark.

“The shark’s shed was the first thing we found, all of a two-minute walk from the property gate. We just pulled up a roller door and there it was: a huge dark tank, surrounded by clutter,” Krapski wrote in Vice Australia.

“Vandals recently tore the roof off the tank and I guess in a couple more weeks, this’ll all be gone,” he also wrote on Instagram.

In the viral YouTube video, clothing, family photos, food in the fridge, couches, mattresses, a TV, and other items suggested that squatters took over the building.

“Since then this park has just been sitting, nothing so far has been done with it. There’s no news on if its being sold or going to be turned into something else. Will just have to keep an eye on this place and see what happens with it,” YouTuber Lukie Mc wrote.