Nothing says romance quite like searching for giant shark teeth! A Texas couple on vacation in Florida got quite the surprise when they realized they had found a near-perfect looking tooth which had belonged to a prehistoric shark. This wasn’t just any old fish in the water though; the large tooth belonged to a Megalodon which could have been up to 60 feet long, or about the size of a bus! These scary creatures likely went extinct between 4 and 20 million years ago, according to reports.
The tooth they found was broken in half and found about 200 feet and an hour apart from each other. Wes and Kerry Kirpach, the couple who found the tooth are high school teachers who had been searching for Megalodon teeth for eight years, now that’s dedication! Apparently the two have found many teeth over the years, but this one was the in the best condition.
The finding comes right after the Discovery Channel’s week long event called “Shark Week” which has gained a popular following throughout the years. People dress up, throw shark themed parties, and glue themselves to the television for scientific and science fiction entertainment.
Venice, Florida has become a hub for shark lovers across the world. Many people go SCUBA diving in hopes of bringing home a rare fossil with them, especially a Medalodon. Even though the Kirpach’s tooth was broken in two, it remains to be one of the best preserved teeth, since finding both halves of broken tooth is nearly impossible.
The tooth is almost four inches long, and will be the new centerpiece in the Kirpach home. Some of the couple’s other findings include a World War II P-47 Thunderbolt plane which crashed into the pacific years and years ago. The couple integrates their love of adventure and discoveries into their classrooms, and encourage students to explore the world around them.
