You could mistakenly believe that a sheepshead fish has just retrieved a lost set of dentures from the ocean floor upon first glance.

But don’t be deceived; those are all natural pearly whites.

Credit: TWITTER/HOLDMYBEAKER
Native to the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States, the sheepshead is a special fish who’s taken the internet by storm after the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources recently posted a photo of one individual’s toothy grin.

Credit: TWITTER/HOLDMYBEAKER
Some readers found him immediately unsettling, while others were astounded by how intelligent and human-like the fish’s teeth were.

Regardless of what the internet has to say, these guys have some pretty spectacular chompers.

Credit: TWITTER/HOLDMYBEAKER
Equipped with super strong jaws, sheepsheads are able to easily crush through hard-shelled sea life like oysters, crabs and barnacles, which make up much of their adult diet. Multiple rows of molars behind their front teeth grind up the food into tiny particles as they chew.

Their jaws are so powerful, in fact, that they have even been known to snap metal fishhooks in half.

Credit: TWITTER/HOLDMYBEAKER
They weigh around 20 pounds as adults and are a popular target for fisherman because of their size. In the past, overfishing has put them in danger.

Divers frequently see sheepshead fish hanging out among mangrove roots, piers, and jetties because, fortunately, the sheepshead fish population as a whole is doing considerably better these days.

Credit: TWITTER/HOLDMYBEAKER
And if their picture-perfect smiles are any indicator, these fish are more like us than we know — and that’s all the better reason to keep them safe.

A Kind Dog Rescues And Brings A Small Stranded Animal to Safety

Lauren Lynde and her husband brought their 2-year-old golden retriever, Wally, for a swim on the first hot day of the summer. The family rowed their canoe to one of the islands in Hickory Hills Lake in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, completely unaware that they were about to have an unexpected meeting.

Wally enjoys swimming and it’s nearly hard to pull him out once he’s in. “We usually give him sticks or his ball to pursue,” Lynde told The Dodo, “but he’ll also simply swim around in circles by himself, which is pretty entertaining.” “And he’s wearing a shark life vest,” says the narrator.

Credit: LAUREN LYNDE
Wally was paddling around in the lake when Lynde spotted something bobbing in the water nearby. At first, Lynde thought it was an otter or a large stick — then the mysterious object hopped on Wally’s back.

That’s when she realized the “stick” was actually a woodchuck.

Credit: LAUREN LYNDE
“My spouse and I couldn’t believe it,” Lynde explained. “Wally merely glanced at the woodchuck, started swimming back to shore, and the woodchuck got on his back as we watched.” Wally was completely unconcerned. He simply glanced over his shoulder a number of times before continuing to swim.”

Lynde couldn’t figure out why the woodchuck was swimming – maybe he was just trying to cool off like the rest of us.

Credit: LAUREN LYNDE
Fortunately, the only thing Wally enjoys more than swimming is meeting new people. “He adores any animal he comes across, “Lynde remarked. “He adores small children and will give them a kiss on the cheek when he sees them. He’s the kindest dog you’ve ever met and gets along with just about everyone.”

Here’s where you can see Wally and the woodchuck go swimming:

The woodchuck looked happy for the ride and made a point of thanking Wally when they arrived at their destination.

“A little before they came to shore, he stepped off Wally’s back, and they stared at each other and rubbed their snouts together, kind of like a farewell,” Lynde added. “The woodchuck dashed up to the shore, they exchanged one final glance, and he fled away, leaving Wally to resume his swimming.”

Credit: LAUREN LYNDE
“I honestly couldn’t believe it,” she added. “I was dumbfounded.”

Credit: LAUREN LYNDE
Woodchucks are often shy, but something about Wally made the wild animal feel at ease.

“I think Wally simply emits goodness,” Lynde explained, “and maybe everyone can sense that, even the animals.”