The mystery of the large eye found in Florida solved
Swordfish have been confirmed to be the source of the large, blue eye that washed upon the shores of Florida Oct. 12.
A man taking a walk along the Pompano Beach near Ft. Lauderdale found the swordfish eyeball, which is the size of a 16-inch softball. Upon finding the rare sight, the man wrapped the eyeball in a plastic bag and contacted officials.
The hefty eyeball made its way to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg to be examined. “Experts on site and remotely have viewed and analyzed the eye, and based on its color, size and structure, along with the presence of bone around it, we believe the eye came from a swordfish,” said Joan Herrera, curator of collections at the institute, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Despite officials’ statement regarding the eyeball’s swordfish origin, genetic testing will be performed to confirm. Sources also say that the eyeball founds its way out of the swordfish and onto the shore because a fisherman removed it then discarded it into the water. The fish is popular this time of year to anglers using the waters of South Florida to fish.
The size of the eye matches the general specifications of swordfish, which are migrating predators that reach 1,100 pounds.
