Sheriff's office releases video of shark-infested waters off Florida coast, warns of "dangers below the water"

A sheriff's office in Florida has released aerial video of shark-infested waters off the Gulf Coast, warning the public to "be aware of the dangers below the water."

The video taken by the Pasco Sheriff's Office's aviation unit showed dozens of sharks swimming near the Anclote Sandbar and Anclote Island, north of Tampa.

"A day in the water is a fun way to beat our Florida heat, but it's important to be aware of the dangers below the water as well as above," the sheriff's office wrote.

The Anclote Key Preserve State Park is home to bull sharks, blacktip sharks, nursesharks, lemon sharks, bonnethead sharks and great hammerheads, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said in a 2014 report.

The sheriff's office did not identify the type of sharks in the aerial video but they appear to resemble blacktip sharks, which were captured on drone video last year off Florida near Singer Island.

Atlantic blacktip sharks are torpedo-shaped gray or gray-brownish creatures with white bellies, and can reach up to 6 feet in length. Their dorsal, pectoral and tail fins have black tips, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

To mark National Water Safety Month, the sheriff's office urged the public to "be cautious of your surroundings; learn to swim and always swim with a buddy; keep a fully charged phone and first aid kit close by for emergencies; and never leave children unattended in or near water."

Last year, a police dive team training off the coast of Sarasota, Florida captured video of blacktip and reef sharks rounding up hundreds of fish.

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• Sharks
• Florida