Large shark washes up on beach in Rhode Island. But how it died remains a mystery

A shark with no known natural enemies was found dead on a Rhode Island beach, and even experts aren’t sure what killed it.

The large predator is a porbeagle shark, and an inspection revealed no signs of trauma: No bites, no cuts, no hints of a boat strike.

It was discovered Wednesday, Feb. 7, on East Beach near Watch Hill, according to the Rhode Island-based Atlantic Shark Institute. Watch Hill is about 50 miles southwest of Providence.

“She appeared when the tide went out, was 8 feet, 8 inches long, and weighed several hundred pounds,” the institute reported in a Facebook post.

“These large sharks really like the colder water so when everyone else has headed south for the winter, they are still here enjoying these waters with much less pressure from competing shark species.”

The carcass was taken to Narragansett and was awaiting a necropsy (animal autopsy). The discovery offers researchers a rare opportunity to study a large example of the species, the institute said.

“While unfortunate, at that size she can provide vital information to researchers and we hope to share more when the necropsy is completed,” officials said.

The institute did not speculate on a cause of death, but noted the appearance of loose skin was standard for dead sharks. Some blood was also visible, but that was likely due to the shark rolling around in the surf as it came ashore, the institute said.

Porbeagle sharks are known to reach 12 feet and 500 pounds, according to Oceana.

“Because of their size, porbeagle sharks do not have any known natural predators,” Oceana says. “However, their meat is highly valued by target fisheries in Europe, and porbeagles are a sought-after game fish species by sport fisheries in the U.S.”

This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Large shark washes up on beach in Rhode Island. But how it died remains a mystery."