GALILEE, R.I. — A rare series of shark sightings along the Rhode Island coast ended with a porbeagle shark beaching itself and dying over the weekend, officials and witnesses confirmed.
According to the Atlantic Shark Institute, the activity began Saturday afternoon near Salty Brine State Beach in Galilee, where a shark was first spotted wedged among rocks along the breakwater. Witnesses say the shark freed itself, though it appeared disoriented and was later seen swimming in circles.
Over the next several hours, the shark was tracked moving through local waters, with multiple people capturing photos and video. It was eventually seen entering Point Judith Pond, traveling toward the Point Judith Marina before heading into Billington Cove.
Early Sunday morning, a nearby resident spotted a fin cutting through the water around 5:30 a.m. The shark later moved into shallow, muddy water, where it beached itself and died later that afternoon.
Experts identified the animal as a porbeagle shark, a species known to prefer colder waters. Marine officials say its presence in the region is not unusual this time of year, as sharks begin to move north with shifting ocean temperatures.
A necropsy was conducted by NOAA, and the shark’s remains were removed and towed offshore.
Marine researchers, including experts from the New England Aquarium and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, assisted in confirming the species.
The incident serves as a reminder that “shark season” is underway in southern New England, with more sightings expected in the coming months as ocean waters continue to warm, officials warned.
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