Fears for beachgoers as rare 14ft SHARK washes up on Irish beach
FEARS for beachgoers have been growing after a whopping 14-foot shark washed up on an Irish beach.
The massive sand tiger shark was found on rocks at the weekend.
The 14ft predator, which is also known as a grey nurse shark, was a rare find as they usually live in water more than 100 meters deep.
There are now fears for beachgoers as experts say such a species has never been recorded in the area before.
It was a Swiss tourist who made the discovery on Saturday at Kilmore Quay in Co Wexford, Ireland.
He reached out to Dr Nicholas Payne, an assistant professor at Trinity College’s School of Natural Sciences.
The shark expert described the find as “a little concerning”.
Dr Payne told The Irish Times: “Unfortunately, another of this species washed up on the south English coast just two weeks ago; we all thought that was very strange at the time given the northerly location, but to see a second one here so soon after is a little concerning.
“We will now do a number of tests to try to learn what might have caused this to happen, and also to learn more about this species in general.”
Dr Payne said he “couldn’t believe it” when he received an email to say the shark had been found.
He said: “As soon as I saw the photos he sent, I knew we had to get down there urgently to sample this rare animal.”
While not specifically targeted by commercial fisheries, they may face threats such as bycatch, or from pollution, he said.
They are said to pose no risk to humans.
It’s the second time in a matter of weeks that a shark has washed up in an unusual area.
A six-foot shark was found last month on Lepe beach, part of the country park on the Solent in southwest Hampshire.
It comes after what was thought to be the fin of a great white shark was spotted stalking the Cornish coast in February.
What is a sand tiger shark?
Sand tiger sharks are also known as sand tigers and grey nurse sharks.
The big fish has one unique habit – they are the only sharks that come to the surface to gulp air, but not to breathe.
The air ends up in its stomach. The air makes the shark more buoyant, so it can float motionless in the water as it watches for prey.
They usually grow between 6.5 and 10.5 feet and can weigh between 200 and 350 pounds.
The sharks tend to hunt at night, just above the ocean floor.
They are not very aggressive towards people, and only tend to bother humans if they’re bothered by them first.