R.I.P.
Jumping the Shark -- The Deadly Flight Pattern

Posted Dec 18th 2008 5:00AM by TMZ Staff

This pic should give you a better idea how a shark managed to jump from her tank and onto a waterslide in The Bahamas earlier this week.



FYI -- the slide goes through the shark area (the open air slide becomes an enclosed tube) and lets out in a small pool down below.

The female reef shark somehow cleared the 18-inch wide and 1-foot high barrier around the bottom of the Mayan Temple's Leap of Faith slide -- then slid down the rest of the slide and into an empty pool. It died from complications from the pool's chlorinated water.

The shark was at least 12 years old.

Filed under: R.I.P., Critters


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1. Slow news day

Posted at 9:16AM on Dec 18th 2008 by cee

2. Well, that would be kind of cool to be that close to a predator, but it's no surprise that a big fish can jump that wall.

Posted at 9:17AM on Dec 18th 2008 by Fitzy

3. While I feel bad about this incident, I'm more concerned about Obama's first scandal and he isn't even in office yet. I'm embarrased to admit that I voted for him and now it looks like the Clinton years all over again. His picks look more like "No Change we can believe in" I think I will regret my choice for the next 4 years, but hope nothing else comes out.

Posted at 9:20AM on Dec 18th 2008 by tkennedy

4. There is some resorts use salt water for swimming and all that fun water stuff. I think it is more eco-friendly.

Posted at 10:31AM on Dec 18th 2008 by A

5. It's not funny ...STOP abusing animals for the entertainment of fat, spoiled Americans

Posted at 11:06AM on Dec 18th 2008 by NYone

6. first of all perhaps the sharks would like to be in the OCEAN where they belong and not locked in tanks for the "enjoyment"of humans with too much money to spend on stupid things like swimming with captive wild animals animals and second how did a story on a poor miserable shark become a forum for Obama???? where do you peple live!

Posted at 11:16AM on Dec 18th 2008 by dragonfly

7. 4. There is some resorts use salt water for swimming and all that fun water stuff. I think it is more eco-friendly.

Posted at 10:31AM on Dec 18th 2008 by A
6. first of all perhaps the sharks would like to be in the OCEAN where they belong and not locked in tanks for the "enjoyment"of humans with too much money to spend on stupid things like swimming with captive wild animals animals and second how did a story on a poor miserable shark become a forum for Obama???? where do you peple live!

Posted at 11:16AM on Dec 18th 2008 by dragonfly
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Good points...this is just messed!

Posted at 11:26AM on Dec 18th 2008 by NUFF-SAID

8. I've been to that godforsaken hellhole of a "resort," and all the pools ARE salt water. But who knows what else they put in there.

Posted at 11:30AM on Dec 18th 2008 by diana

9. On a lighter note...
My cat was caught with her front paws in the turtle tank today...
The turtle tank fell...crashed to the floor,
all the little buggers made a run for it.
Nobody was hurt, but the turtles need a new tank.
Said turtles have now been rounded up
Cat is LISTED AS AWOL. lol

Posted at 11:33AM on Dec 18th 2008 by NUFF-SAID

10. Pretty elaborate slide, and what I find strange is this "retaining" wall, it looks like a street curb. I guess they didn't know fish could jump out of their water. Oh well, and I like how they stressed the fact that these sharks aren't dangerous, as they're "hand fed" by the staff. Well ya know what, Pitbulls are owned and cared for by humans, and they STILL bite people, and tear them to shreds. These are wild animals people, why you think it's safe to have them so close to where people (adults AND children) go flying down into a pool of water is beyond me. It may look pretty, but not everything that's pretty is a good idea. Maybe now you'll rethink your architecture and build a REAL tank for these animals to live in, or better yet, leave them in the f*cking ocean where they belong.

Posted at 11:39AM on Dec 18th 2008 by Carriss

11. #11

Well, Dan you seem to have all the answers. Thanks for all the information....u purdy smert!

Posted at 12:15PM on Dec 18th 2008 by Jack

12. Correction Dan - they do jump in the wild. "The blacktip (reef shark) is one of only a few sharks that can jump fully out of the water, a behavior called breaching. They have also been observed surfacing to look around (spy-hopping)." From Wikipedia.

Posted at 12:16PM on Dec 18th 2008 by kan

13. Yeah, I was kidding, Dan. You are a jerk.

Posted at 12:18PM on Dec 18th 2008 by Jack

14. BOO HOO

Posted at 12:20PM on Dec 18th 2008 by THE TRUTH

15. I live in So Cal and there's no way you'll ever catch me at Sea World. Putting such creatures on display for man's amusement is just plain cruel.

Posted at 12:33PM on Dec 18th 2008 by kaykay

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