Seals with shark bites noticed alongside Massachusetts South Shore: ‘Sharks are still close to our beaches’

As Thanksgiving approaches, white sharks are nonetheless attempting to have a feast of their very own in these native chilly waters.

Shark researchers have seen the next variety of seals with shark bites alongside the Massachusetts South Shore this fall.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s Marine Animal Rescue and Response staff has responded to seven seals with shark bites between Hingham and Plymouth over the previous a number of weeks — a seven-fold enhance in comparison with the earlier month.

“The important thing to note is that we are finding these seals because the predation attempts were likely happening close to shore, giving the seals a chance to escape to the beach, or for their carcass to wash ashore,” mentioned Lauren Brandkamp, Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s stranding coordinator.

“This means that the sharks are still close to our beaches,” Brandkamp added.

Not the entire seals had been fatally injured by the shark assaults.

Typically white sharks will deliberately “bite and spit” seals, which permits them to keep away from being injured by the seal’s enamel and claws whereas they wait close by for the prey to bleed out, mentioned New England Aquarium shark scientist John Chisholm.

Different occasions, sharks will merely take an “investigatory bite” to determine if the prey is price pursuing. In each circumstances, seals typically survive these encounters.

Chisholm has been surveying the coastal waters of Massachusetts this month, and he has reported a number of sightings of enormous white sharks close to seashores from Duxbury to Chatham.

“Although the majority of white sharks are starting to move south, we know from tagging data and sighting reports that they are present off Massachusetts into the winter months,” Chisholm mentioned. “White sharks are one of the few shark species that can elevate their body temperature, which allows them to tolerate cooler water.”

Chisholm echoed Brandkamp’s name to stay “Shark Smart” this time of 12 months — which incorporates avoiding getting into the water in areas the place seals or colleges of fish are current.

A rise in studies of sharks and seals within the space doesn’t essentially translate to extra incidents, however slightly a rise in studies.

“And this mild fall weather means people might feel like getting in the water and, while the tourist beach season has ended, the shark season has not,” Brandkamp mentioned.