Even loose shark teeth can be dangerous in Florida. At least, when you hunt for them in the wrong places.
Five people searching for shark teeth in Sarasota County were arrested in September, according to a Sept. 15 Facebook post from the North Port Police Department. The teeth weren't the problem; they were searching on a posted construction site.
"Fossil hunters, take note: digging in or even walking around posted construction areas can result in felony trespassing charges," the agency said. "And yes, there are signs. Lots of them.
"Beyond the legal consequences, construction sites are not beaches. They can contain large holes, water intrusion, unstable ground, and heavy machinery. Dude, it's just not safe. So please, don’t learn the hard way."
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If you're hoping to hunt for shark teeth in Florida, here's what to know.
Is it legal to collect shark teeth in Florida?
It is completely legal to search for and keep shark teeth in Florida, as long as you do so on the more than 12 million acres of publicly accessible state land and beaches, or on private property where you have explicit permission.
There are laws against collecting vertebrate fossils in national parks, state parks, wildlife refuges, water management districts, and other lands owned and managed by state and local government agencies, but picking up shark teeth is allowed, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Best beaches to find shark teeth in Florida
Florida, with its miles of easily accessible beaches, is a top destination spot for shark tooth collectors.
There are three areas in the Sunshine State known for them, according to authenticflorida.com:
- Near and around Venice: Caspersen Beach, Venice Beach, Casey Key, Manasota Key – Englewood Beach
- Around Palm Beach County: Boca Raton, Palm Beach Island Beaches, Singer Island, Jupiter Island
- Near and around Jacksonville: St. Augustine Beach, Mikler’s Landing Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Beaches, Amelia Island
The Peace River, which runs from Central Florida to Charlotte Harbor, is also a well-known place to find the toothy prizes.
Venice is the shark tooth capital of the world
Venice, Florida, is the self-proclaimed shark tooth capital of the world, with hunters regularly combing the beaches. Venice even hosts the annual Venice Sharks Tooth Festival with food, music, fossil vendors, and, of course, shark teeth.
The city's coastal area, just south of Sarasota, rests on top of a fossil layer 18-35 feet deep filled with sharks and other creatures that died millions of years ago. Erosion of the beach shoreline has exposed the teeth and other fossils over the years, and they wash up regularly onto the beaches.
How to find shark teeth along Florida beaches
The best time is after a storm, when crashing waves tend to churn up the ocean floor and uncover plenty of them. But they can be spotted at any time, especially during low tide.
Watch for smooth, black, shiny triangular shapes along the shell line, where waves deposit heavier material, and wade ankle-deep near breaking waves. Use a sifter or kitchen strainer to scoop up sand and see if you find something darker and heavier than a seashell.
H. Cliff Harrison, a senior hydrogeologist for Sarasota County Public Utilities, said the best beaches for finding shark teeth have a significant amount of “black sand” or “dark sand” mixed in with the regular white quartz sand.
"When you find a beach that is dark enough that the sand is too hot to walk on barefoot in the summer, you are likely on a good beach. All those small black grains are actually phosphate and small particles of fossilized bone and teeth," he wrote.
Which types of shark teeth can I find in Florida?
Beachcombers might spot teeth from Great White sharks, reef sharks, bull sharks, lemon sharks, tiger sharks, and possibly even part or all of a huge tooth from the massive, prehistoric Megalodon, according to the Florida State Parks website.
Samantha Neely and Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida, contributed to this story.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Shark tooth hunters arrested in Florida. Is it legal to collect them?
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