Harmless Shark Washes Ashore - Oceana USA
Home / Blog / Harmless Shark Washes Ashore

July 16, 2009

Harmless Shark Washes Ashore

Though it may sound oxymoronic to some, a harmless shark washed up on Gilgo Beach in Long Island on Tuesday, much to the surprise — and delight — of the many beachgoers. And like they always say, appearances can be deceiving, as this basking shark was 20-feet long and weighed in at about 2000 pounds. Basking sharks are not considered dangerous, despite the fact that they are the second largest fish in the world. But because they eat plankton, basking sharks do not have any teeth. The cause of death for this basking shark is still unknown—the body doesn’t look like it has had any major incidents.