Tampa's 'Old Hitler' Spotlighted During Shark Week

Shark sightings in Tampa Bay waters are nothing new, but a documentary being released during Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” puts a spotlight on a local legend, “Old Hitler.”

The reportedly massive hammerhead is said to be about 25 feet long and has a host of scars from run-ins with harpoons, propellers and fish hooks. Stories about his escapades in the Gulf, from Naples to Tampa Bay, have been told for decades, according to The Tampa Tribune. If all the stories were true, the shark would be more than 70 years old.

“He is Florida’s version of the Loch Ness Monster,” explained J. Scott Butherus to the Tribune. Butherus is an outdoor writer for the Naples Daily News who is featured in the spot titled “Monster Hammerhead.”

While “Old Htler” has never been linked to an attack on humans, tales about his ability to elude capture and scare people are local legend.

“Monster Hammerhead” debuts at 10 p.m. on Discovery Channel Monday night. Shark Week continues throughout the week.

Check out The Tribune’s full story here.

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