CHATHAM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Almost 2-dozen sharks have been spotted from Chatham to Orleans and researchers are warning holiday beach-goers to stay away from seals.
Labor Day weekend may mark the unofficial end of summer beach days for humans on the Cape, but sharks are still out on the hunt and increasing in numbers.
Dr. Greg Skomal from the Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries said, "There has been an upward trajectory. We've already seen as many sharks this year as we have last year and last year we went well into October and we still have a couple months this year."
He went on to say that sharks appear to be coming closer to shore than ever before.
SkyFOX flew over waters off Nauset Beach Tuesday where three were spotted. On Monday, researchers encountered roughly 23 great white sharks from Chatham to Orleans.
"As the sharks show up in larger numbers the seals take notice of this and they actually stay very close to shore themselves. So the seals are right along the shoreline which would draw the sharks in very, very close," Skomal said.
They're also going farther north than ever before. Last month FOX25 spotted 17 sharks when we went up over Chatham, but Dr. Skomal says there have been reported sightings as far out as Truro and Eastham.
"It is indeed possible that the sharks are spreading out as the seals spread out; as the seals build up in other areas," he said.
Skomal's number one message to holiday beach goers is stay away from the seals.
Cox Media Group
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