12-Foot Great White Shark Found Washed Up On Cape Cod Beach Has Experts Scratching Their Heads

A 12-foot great white shark was found dead on a popular Cape Cod, Massachusetts beach over the weekend and experts have been unable to uncover the cause of death.

According to the Mirror, State shark researcher Greg Skomal performed a post-mortem exam on the predator, but said there were no signs of trauma on its body that would help determine the cause of its demise.

Per the Atlantic White Shark Conservatory Facebook page:

A 12 foot male white shark was found dead on Pleasant Road Beach in Harwich late last night. Dr. Greg Skomal of the Massachsuetts Division of Marine Fisheries performed a necropsy on the shark after it had been moved to the Harwich Transfer Station this morning. No indication as to the cause of death.

This isn’t the first occurrence of a great white washing up on Pleasant Road Beach, as two other sharks had been stranded in that area over the summer.

Cynthia Wingren, President of the Atlantic White Shark Conservatory, weighed in on what makes this situation unique.

“It’s different from the last two situations where the shark was still alive. In those cases, beachgoers tried to keep the sharks alive before they could be towed back to the ocean; one shark survived, while the other ultimately died.”

I’ve always been more of a pool guy anyway. For one reason in particular.

[h/t Mirror]

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Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.