10-Foot Great White Shark Washes Ashore On A South Carolina Beach
Beachgoers say there were attempts to get the shark back in the water, but it kept washing ashore.
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A 10-foot female great white shark washed ashore in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this week.
Beachgoers said there were attempts to get the shark back in the water, but it kept washing ashore. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources removed the shark from the beach.
A necropsy revealed nodules on her spleen, but no evidence of illness. SCDNR has sent samples of the shark to be tested to figure out the cause of death.
From SC Dept of Natural Resources: “A ten-foot female white shark stranded in the Myrtle Beach area this week, offering SCDNR biologists and visiting scientists from Georgia Aquarium and Ripley’s Aquariums a rare opportunity to collect detailed data on one of our largest ocean predators. A necropsy revealed nodules on the shark’s spleen but no conclusive cause of illness; our biologists are sending off tissue samples for further analysis to hopefully learn more. While it’s not uncommon for large coastal sharks, whales, dolphins and sea turtles to become stranded on the shore when ill/injured, a white shark stranding in South Carolina is unusual. This immature female was not a previously known (tagged) individual, and she presented no threat to beachgoers. White sharks are typically only winter visitors to South Carolina waters. Thank you to North Myrtle Beach police, @nmbpolice50, and fire rescue, @nmbfirerescuesc, for responding on the beach”
