Three Thresher Sharks Wash Ashore on Cape Cod Beaches This Month
Three thresher sharks have washed up on Cape Cod beaches this month, according to the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance.
Officials perform a thresher shark necropsy at Campground Beach in Eastham, MA
Image Courtesy New England Coastal Wildlife AllianceThree thresher sharks have washed up on Cape Cod beaches this month, according to the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance.
A CapeCod.com report explained that the first thresher sighting involved a possibly live shark that had died by the time responders from the Wildlife Alliance came to Wellfleet's Mayo Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The second shark carcass was found at Campground Beach in Eastham on Monday, Dec. 8.
The third shark, a male, was found at Great Island in Wellfleet on Sunday, Dec. 14.
The Wildlife Alliance, New England Aquarium, and Atlantic White Shark Conservancy conducted necropsies. Officials determined that the sharks were healthy individuals that likely made navigational errors as they headed south for the winter.
Past notable thresher shark appearances in the region include Mayo Beach in 2016, Eastham's First Encounter Beach in 2022, and Duxbury Beach in 2024.
According to the Wildlife Alliance, threshers are predatory fish known for their long tails, which they use to stun prey.
