• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
‘They’re Not Looking for Us.’ Experts Say Sharks Might Mistake Humans for Seals When They Attack thumbnail

‘They’re Not Looking for Us.’ Experts Say Sharks Might Mistake Humans for Seals When They Attack

July 31, 2020
Republicans Fear Abortion Ruling Will 'Bail the Dems Out' in 2024, Midterms thumbnail

Republicans Fear Abortion Ruling Will ‘Bail the Dems Out’ in 2024, Midterms

June 26, 2022
Google memo on end of Roe v. Wade says employees may apply to relocate 'without justification' thumbnail

Google memo on end of Roe v. Wade says employees may apply to relocate ‘without justification’

June 26, 2022
Report: Stashed 2020 Boston Celtics draft prospect Yam Madar to skip Las Vegas Summer League thumbnail

Report: Stashed 2020 Boston Celtics draft prospect Yam Madar to skip Las Vegas Summer League

June 25, 2022
Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications thumbnail

Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications

June 25, 2022
Early Liver Disease Detection Linked to Subsequent Lifestyle Improvements thumbnail

Early Liver Disease Detection Linked to Subsequent Lifestyle Improvements

June 25, 2022
Jupiter scientists need your help hunting for storms in stunning photos thumbnail

Jupiter scientists need your help hunting for storms in stunning photos

June 25, 2022
Ex-Trump aides say six House Republicans sought pardons after Jan. 6 thumbnail

Ex-Trump aides say six House Republicans sought pardons after Jan. 6

June 24, 2022
Oil CEOs come to Washington as Biden looks to shift blame for gas prices thumbnail

Oil CEOs come to Washington as Biden looks to shift blame for gas prices

June 24, 2022
Why Biden can't bring gas prices down thumbnail

Why Biden can’t bring gas prices down

June 24, 2022
Proposed insulin price cap poses test for Dems thumbnail

Proposed insulin price cap poses test for Dems

June 24, 2022
Senators release bill targeting insulin prices thumbnail

Senators release bill targeting insulin prices

June 23, 2022
The US Economy Is Headed for a Hard Landing thumbnail

The US Economy Is Headed for a Hard Landing

June 23, 2022
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate
Sunday, June 26, 2022
66 °f
Wellfleet
58 ° Tue
63 ° Wed
68 ° Thu
61 ° Fri
  • Login
  • Register
FREE Cape Cod News
DONATE
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Cape Cod News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Free Cape Cod News
No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home Cape Cod News

‘They’re Not Looking for Us.’ Experts Say Sharks Might Mistake Humans for Seals When They Attack

FREE Cape Cod News by FREE Cape Cod News
July 31, 2020
in Cape Cod News, Nature
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Donate
0
‘They’re Not Looking for Us.’ Experts Say Sharks Might Mistake Humans for Seals When They Attack thumbnail
642
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook

(PORTLAND, Maine) — Seals are thriving off the Northeast coast thanks to decades of protections, and that victory for wildlife has brought a consequence for humans — more encounters with sharks.

Seals are a favorite prey of large sharks such as the great white. The death this week of swimmer Julie Dimperio Holowach, who was killed by a great white off Harpswell, Maine, might have happened because the shark mistook her for a seal, authorities said.

Swimmers off the New England states have learned to be more mindful in recent years due to a spate of sightings of great whites, the apex predator made famous in the movie “Jaws.” A shark that killed a man off Cape Cod in 2018 was also believed to be a great white.

That was the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts in more than eight decades, while the death of Holowach on Monday was the first documented fatal shark attack in Maine history.

“They’re not vindictive or mad or angry or preferring human flesh. They just occasionally make a mistake. And it’s tragic when they do,” said Greg Skomal, a shark specialist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. “As we restore top predators, the potential for these interactions could increase.”

Incidents of shark bites remain vanishingly rare, especially in Northeastern waters. The International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida lists only 10 unprovoked shark attacks off New England, according to records that go back to 1837.

The majority of documented shark attacks in the U.S. happen off Florida, and internationally, warm weather countries such as South Africa and Australia have higher totals than most. But shark bites are rare in those places, too. Australia has been the site of 652 unprovoked shark attacks according to records that go back to 1580, the International Shark Attack File reported.

Shark bites in colder northern waters are not unheard of. A handful have been recorded off Russia, Finland and Washington state. And researchers are seeing more of the great whites off New England, said James Sulikowski, a researcher of Northeastern sharks who is located at Arizona State University.

The greater number of sightings is “unequivocally” because of the resurgence of seals in New England, Sulikowski said. The seal comeback traces to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which afforded seals a chance to repopulate after generations of human exploitation.

Grey seals, once hunted with bounties and pushed close to the point of local extinction, are now common sights in coastal Cape Cod. Some people even feel the animals have come back to the point where they pose a nuisance, in part because they draw more sharks.

The sharks aren’t looking for people, but they’re a reason for swimmers to be cautious, Sulikowski said.

“They’re not looking for us. We’re not on the menu,” he said. “But as these predator prey relationships continue, and because they are so coastal, there’s potential for interaction with humans to increase.”

In Maine, marine patrol officers are conducting searches for the presence of sharks in the aftermath of Holowach’s death. The state is restricting swimming at some state parks. And it has sent a clear message to beachgoers — if you see seals, stay away.

Tags: cape cod newscape cod sharkssharkswildlife

FREE Digital Newspaper Subscription!
Sign up for your free digital subscription. The FREE Cape Cod News

Unsubscribe
FREE Cape Cod News

FREE Cape Cod News

Free Cape Cod News is what's happening in the Cape Cod, U.S and World & what people are talking about right now. Local newspaper. Stay in the know. Subscribe to get notified about our latest news.

Related Posts

Jupiter scientists need your help hunting for storms in stunning photos thumbnail
Nature

Jupiter scientists need your help hunting for storms in stunning photos

by FREE Cape Cod News
June 25, 2022
An ocean below Earth’s crust could be key to a habitable planet thumbnail
Nature

An ocean below Earth’s crust could be key to a habitable planet

by FREE Cape Cod News
June 18, 2022
Thousands of previously undescribed viruses found by huge ocean survey thumbnail
Environment

Thousands of previously undescribed viruses found by huge ocean survey

by FREE Cape Cod News
June 10, 2022
Autonomous Mayflower reaches American shores - thumbnail
Cape Cod News

Autonomous Mayflower reaches American shores –

by FREE Cape Cod News
June 7, 2022
Load More
Please login to join discussion

Follow Us on Twitter

FREE Cape Cod News - Your source for local Cape Cod news, latest breaking U.S. and World news. Every day, all day. Subscribe for your favorite categories.

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Ex-Trump aides say six House Republicans sought pardons after Jan. 6 thumbnail

Ex-Trump aides say six House Republicans sought pardons after Jan. 6

June 24, 2022
Ranked: The Top Ten Best Beaches in The Cape Cod. FREE Cape Cod News.

Top 10 Cape Cod Beaches ( with PHOTOS )

August 21, 2020

BREAKING NEWS: Governor Baker has signed an order activating up to 1000 of the Massachusetts National Guard

August 29, 2020
Republicans Fear Abortion Ruling Will 'Bail the Dems Out' in 2024, Midterms thumbnail

Republicans Fear Abortion Ruling Will ‘Bail the Dems Out’ in 2024, Midterms

June 26, 2022
Google memo on end of Roe v. Wade says employees may apply to relocate 'without justification' thumbnail

Google memo on end of Roe v. Wade says employees may apply to relocate ‘without justification’

June 26, 2022
Report: Stashed 2020 Boston Celtics draft prospect Yam Madar to skip Las Vegas Summer League thumbnail

Report: Stashed 2020 Boston Celtics draft prospect Yam Madar to skip Las Vegas Summer League

June 25, 2022
Support Local News, Make a Donation Support Local News, Make a Donation Support Local News, Make a Donation

FREE Cape Cod News On Twitter

Today’s News

  • Republicans Fear Abortion Ruling Will ‘Bail the Dems Out’ in 2024, Midterms June 26, 2022
  • Google memo on end of Roe v. Wade says employees may apply to relocate ‘without justification’ June 25, 2022
  • Report: Stashed 2020 Boston Celtics draft prospect Yam Madar to skip Las Vegas Summer League June 25, 2022
  • Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications June 24, 2022
  • Early Liver Disease Detection Linked to Subsequent Lifestyle Improvements June 24, 2022
FREE Cape Cod News

Copyright © 2022 Free Cape Cod News

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • Donate

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • FREE Cape Cod News
  • News
    • News
    • Cape Cod News
    • Massachusetts
    • Breaking News
    • Cape Cod Weather
    • Storm Watch
    • Environment
  • Politics
    • democrats
    • republicans
  • Business
    • business
    • cryptocurrency
    • economy
    • money
    • Real Estate
    • Tech
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Photos
    • Orleans
    • Eastham
    • Wellfleet
    • Truro
    • Provincetown
    • Brewster
    • Chatham
  • Videos
  • Login
  • Sign Up

Copyright © 2022 Free Cape Cod News

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist