Sanibel visitor finds fossil shark tooth that could be millions of years old | Lee County

SANIBEL, Fla. (WINK) — A beachcombing trip to Sanibel Island turned into an unexpected discovery for one visitor.

Ruth Obermaier found a fossilized shark’s tooth washed up on Blind Pass and believes it could be millions of years old. The find comes after hurricane activity in the Gulf, which may have stirred up fossils buried in the sand.

Obermaier says she wasn’t even looking for a shark’s tooth when she found it. She was hoping to find a Junonia, a highly sought-after shell on Sanibel.

Instead, she spotted the dark-colored tooth along the shell line at Blind Pass. She says it turned white overnight.

Obermaier believes it could be a fossilized great white shark’s tooth, potentially millions of years old.

“This is my first time getting a shark tooth…still looking for that Junonia,” Obermaier said.

WINK News reached out to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to see if experts can help identify the find and determine how old it may be.