Drone footage shows shark circling man and small child at Alabama beach
Experts say there are 50 species of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A shark was captured on drone footage Monday circling a man and a child swimming at a popular beach in Alabama.
The footage, taken by 15-year-old Jackson Silvio and obtained by Fox News Digital, shows the man and child wading further out into the water at Orange Beach.
At one point the shark appeared to swim just within a few feet of the man. (Jackson Silvio via Storyful)
The shark can be seen following them, swimming in a circle as it gets closer. At one point, the animal appears to swim just a few feet from the older man before swimming out to sea.
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Sharks are not uncommon sightings along the Gulf of Mexico. Per Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, most sharks that inhabit the shallow water near the shore are "really small."
The Gulf of Mexico has around 50 species of sharks, with around 20 to 30 species that beachgoers and fishermen can encounter.
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Dr. Sean Powers, head of the University of South Alabama’s Marine and Environmental Sciences Department, told the website the most common species is the Atlantic sharp nose, which gets no bigger than three-and-a-half feet.