This planet is full of amazing wildlife. Some are exotic and beautiful while others are deadly and terrifying. But sometimes, even dangerous animals need a hand from us humans. 

Sharks are not uncommon in the waters that border Massachusetts. Great white shark sightings off the outer coast of Cape Cod have even increased in recent years, with over 120 individual white sharks spotted since 2009. 

These amazing animals are among the most dangerous in the ocean, meaning they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems. If the shark population begins to dwindle, that area’s wildlife could begin to become unbalanced. These important factors make the efforts of a group of beachgoers captured in a now-viral post all the more heroic.

The video was captured on a beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While guests were enjoying the ocean air, a seven-foot-long great white shark washed up on the shore. Great whites can grow up to 20 feet long, meaning this shark was likely very young. 

Like most aquatic animals, sharks use their gills to extract oxygen from the water that they swim in. If removed from the water, most sharks can last only minutes before it’s too late. Those surrounding this beached creature had to take quick action if they wanted the animal to survive.

The first course of action was to provide the shark with some way to breathe. The onlookers did so by taking buckets and tossing water onto the shark. With each splash of water, the shark can be seen moving and breathing. As it moves, it exposes its roughly 300 teeth which make it one of the most dangerous creatures roaming the ocean. 

While the buckets of water help to keep the shark alive, it’s only a temporary fix. As the concerned citizens look on, it becomes apparent that they’ll need to figure out a way to return the shark to the water if they hope to save it. 

Great white sharks are usually found to weigh between 1,500 and 4,000 pounds. Many sharks have sharp spines that can cut a person if they touch them the wrong way. This combination removed lifting the shark and carrying it back to the water, meaning they’d have to get creative.

Eventually, a beach official decides that the best way to proceed is by towing the shark back to the water. To do so, the beach official carefully lifts the shark’s tail, places a rope underneath it, and ties a harness around it. 

From there, we learn that the other end of the rope is attached to a small boat. As the boat begins to pull further into the water, the helpless shark begins to drag across the sand and back towards its home.

It takes a moment, and a little guidance from those operating the boat, but the shark eventually begins to swim. The valiant effort of the beachgoers and beach officials not only saved the shark’s life but served as a prime example of the collaborative efforts needed to protect the natural life that inhabits the planet.