Two at least 13-foot, mature, male thresher sharks have died after they became stranded in Cape Cod Bay the past week, according to New England Aquarium officials.
One shark got stranded Tuesday in Wellfleet, and the second Saturday in Eastham.
“Cape Cod is like a natural fishtrap and Wellfleet Harbor is like the main catch,” said John Chisholm, a shark biologist at the New England Aquarium.
Scientists say beached sharks are not uncommon in December, when the Atlantic Ocean dips to around 40 degrees. Like humans, sharks prefer to swim in warmer water.
“These animals which are in the Gulf of Maine and parts north will begin to move out and try to move out quickly, and some will get trapped within Cape Cod Bay and work their way along the shoreline but they get stranded generally after the tide goes out,” said Greg Skomal, a shark scientist from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. “They’re not built for shallow water so they can’t handle it and they end up on the beach.”
Chisholm said he tried to save the sharks, but because they have gills and cannot breathe air, there was little he could do.
“Responding to them, the most dangerous thing is the tail because they can whip that tail and it can do some damage if it hits you,” said Chisholm. “If anybody sees one we ask them to report it to us.”
Unlike great white sharks, thresher sharks only eat fish and do not pose a danger to humans.
“People need not be worried about the presence of thresher sharks in our waters,” said Skomal. “However if it is still alive and you do attempt to handle it, realize that they do have teeth.”
Skomal said the state did not tag as many great whites this year as previous years. He said the animals did not arrive in Bay State waters until later in the summer.
“There were no negative interactions between white sharks and people, and that’s always a good thing,” said Skomal.
Shark experts said it’s possible more sharks will become stranded in the weeks to come.
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