AUSSIE SURFER WHO LOST LEG TO GREAT WHITE FINALLY GETS SHARK TOOTH MOMENTO SOUVENIR
So it’s the year 2021, and my memory and sense of random, disturbing things from years before is a little vague. But I do remember hearing about surfer Chris Blowes, who lost a leg to a Great White shark back in 2015. He was surfing off the coast of South Australia and everything was normal. Well, until an 18-foot great white shark went in for the kill. At the time, Blowes was 32. He lost a leg to the attack and was in a coma for 10 days. It scared everybody. But it’s only now that Blowes is finally getting a shark tooth souvenir from the attack that nearly killed him.
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IN AUSTRALIA, GIVING SHARK TOOTH TO VICTIM WOULD VIOLATE SERIOUS LAW
So why did this take so long? Well, in that area of Down Under, the Fisheries Management Act makes it illegal to possess, sell of purchase any piece of a great white shark. Even a tooth! And the penalty for violating the law is either a $100,000 fine or two years in prison. So in a legal sense, not a simple scenario for Blowes. Police who found his surfboard back in 2015 pulled out the tooth in question and turned it over to Fishery authorities. So it’s literally a shark tooth souvenir for Blowes that marks a total change in his life. Or, nearly the early end of it.
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LOCAL POLITICIAN FINALLY HEARS, HELPS GET SURFER EXEMPTION FOR LEGAL SHARK TOOTH SOUVENIR
But Blowes requests to officials to have an exemption fell on deaf ears for years. Finally, a local politician heard about the situation and helped to arrange an exemption for Blowes, which the otherwise deaf officials finally granted. Blowes is pretty pragmatic about the situation, saying, “The shark isn’t getting its tooth back [and] I’m not getting my leg back.” Huh. I’m not sure that’s a fair trade, as shark teeth always grow back. Legs, not so much! But anyways, Blowes finally gets his shark tooth souvenir. “It’s a good souvenir to show my grandchildren.”
