Florida diver who found huge megalodon tooth shares tips on teeth hunting

An experienced Florida diver recently found a 6.25-inch long megalodon tooth, the largest tooth he’s found during his 22 years of diving.

Michael Nastasio started Black Gold Fossil Charters in Aug. 2020, but he’s been hunting since 2011 and has since become an expert on shark tooth hunting in the area. More than luck, it’s taken him years of preparation with his love of shark teeth hunting only growing stronger.

“It’s one of those things that never gets old,” Nastasio said. “No matter how many times I find them, the excitement doesn’t go away.”

What is a megalodon?

The megalodon is the largest shark to have ever lived in the world's ocean, according to the Smithsonian. The prehistoric shark lived between 23 to 3.6 million years ago and was about three times larger than the modern day great white shark. The largest megalodons were roughly 60-feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.

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How rare are Megalodon teeth to find?

Last year there were only five or six 6-inch teeth that were caught between divers in the Venice-area.

The massive prehistoric sharks would come to Venice to mate, not to eat, making a large tooth a rare find, Nastasio said. Florida was recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as a prominent nursey habitat for the megalodons looking to nurse their pups.

What’s also so rare about the tooth he found was not only its size but also its color. The golden orange hue of the tooth signifies it as a rarity, dubbing it a Golden Beach tooth. Usually shark teeth that are found have a dark silver or black color because of their exposure to the elements, but the golden color of his find tells Nastasio that it’s a tooth that hasn’t been out long enough to mineralize.

How can I find megalodon teeth?

The best way to find big megalodon teeth is through a guided charter boat, Nastasio said. They’re professional, certified divers who have been doing it for decades, but beach diving on your own could also lead to finding teeth.

Although the Venice Boneyard is considered a staple for megalodon teeth hunting, Nastasio recommends that people avoid overpopulated diving spots because chances are that most of the exposed megalodon teeth were caught for that day. Nastasio generally never goes to the same spot twice.

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For those preferring to be a little closer to the shore, Nastasio recommends going to Peace River to dig and sift for some teeth.

The best time to find teeth is after storms when the waves expose a new layer of sand.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida diver finds massive megalodon tooth. Here's how he did it