14-foot thresher shark passes away after being stranded in Massachusetts waters

Tragic Death of Stranded Thresher Shark in Massachusetts

A thresher shark measuring 14 feet was reported dead after being stranded in shallow waters off the coast of Massachusetts on Tuesday.

The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), which responded to the incident, informed that the shark was first sighted alive at Mayo Beach in Wellfleet, but unfortunately, it died just before the team arrived.

“We received multiple calls about a live thresher shark stranded in shallow waters near Mayo Beach,” NECWA posted on Facebook. “Our team jumped into action, but sadly, the shark passed away shortly before we could reach it.”

Images from the scene depicted a slender thresher shark with prominent eyes and an elongated whip-like tail, resting on the shore. It showed signs of injury, with marking resembling footprints on its body.

NECWA mentioned that the condition of the shark had already worsened by the time help arrived, prompting a necropsy to be conducted.

Marine biologist and NECWA President Krill Carson shared with Fox News Digital that while the shark was initially observed alive, its health wasn’t good.

Carson also noted that thresher shark strandings tend to occur more frequently during the colder months along Cape Cod. Interestingly, he added that most of the stranded sharks they encounter are male.

“It’s not unusual for thresher sharks to get stranded while trying to migrate south to warmer waters in the fall,” the organization explained on social media. “Much like other marine creatures, this shark seems to have taken a wrong turn and ended up in Weelfleet’s Inner Harbor.”

According to Carson, thresher sharks face a high risk of mortality if stranded due to their inability to endure prolonged exposure to cooler temperatures. The water temperature at the bay was around 50 degrees or lower, which was dropping further.

“Every year, a small number of threshers get trapped in Cape Cod, leading to strandings as they can’t continue their migration south. If they linger too long, they suffer from cold shock and ultimately die,” Carson remarked.