Has 'Jaws' Returned to Amity Island?
Shark presence being monitored south of Martha’s Vineyard
Clean air, clear water, beautiful white sand beaches…. and a flourishing seal population. Seals are often top of a sharks menu as they are an excellent source of nourishment. So when three seals with scars similar to shark bite wounds were spotted on the Vineyard’s south shore in recent weeks, Island beach managers called for extra caution to anyone looking to enter the water.
The seals displaying these scars were first learned of 10 days ago (July 10th) when the Trustees of Reservations were informed. Earlier in the month, a dwarf or pygmy sperm whale with injuries was also spotted twice thrashing at the shore of East Beach on Chappaquiddick.
Seal showing shark bites turned up at Long Point Wildlife refuge recently. — Courtesy Trustees of Reservations
“In the case of marine mammals, there’s really only a handful of species in the world that will attempt to kill a seal. And in our neck of the woods, it really would only be a white shark, a great white.”
It’s possible any sharks that may have been in the area have long since departed but the public are advised to show caution, to not swim at night, and to stay close to shore.
Warning signs have been posted by the Trustees of Reservations on south-facing beaches.
Originally reported by the Vineyard Gazette