Shark seen regurgitating echidna in surprising first

A surprising discovery was made by researchers in northern Australia when a tiger shark was observed regurgitating a fully intact echidna. The incident took place near Orpheus Island in Queensland, where a team from James Cook University (JCU) was on a trip tagging sharks. This rare occurrence is believed to be the first time a tiger shark has been recorded eating one of the spiky animals, which can grow to about 50cm long. Nicolas Lubitz, a shark researcher, expressed his astonishment at the sight, stating, 'When it spat it out, I looked at it and remarked: “What the hell is that? ” The researchers believe the echidna, a species found in Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea, must have been nabbed while it swam in the shallows or even between islands. Tiger sharks are known for their voracious appetites and have been documented eating seabirds, tyres, licence plates, and even a small TV. Dr. Lubitz mentioned, 'I’ve seen videos of them eating a rock for no reason. ' Although it is unusual for them to regurgitate food, the 3m-long shark underestimated its catch in this case. The shark was unharmed during the encounter and was subsequently fitted with a tracker and released. The JCU team was part of a three-year, state-wide effort to tag species such as snapper, mullet, rays, and various species of sharks with acoustic and satellite trackers, in order to gather data on marine life inhabiting each area.