Posted on 08/17/2021 11:04:05 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
Shark biologist John Chisholm shared photos of multiple sharks seen on Monday, including one feeding off a dead humpback.
“Several white sharks sighted today off MA including one enormous individual feeding on a dead humpback whale,” he wrote on Facebook. “The two others seem tiny in comparison. One of the smaller ones is towing a recently deployed tag.”
The shark feeding off the whale is estimated to be larger than 17 feet, the Facebook post stated.
Videos of the whale were also shared on Captain John Boats’ Facebook page, which is a tour company.
“We started off with a couple of solo whales and ended our trip watching a mom and calf while the calf was nursing,” the tour company said on Facebook. “This afternoon was a trip for the record books! We started off our trip by taking a look at a whale who was unfortunately deceased. While we were there 2 enormous white sharks came to feast! We stood by while the research team collected video of these two doing what sharks do best!”
The smaller of the two sharks feeding on the whale was ID’d in August of 2017. It was then tagged in September of that year.
The other shark was even bigger but didn’t have an estimated size, a Facebook post stated.
I would speculate now that 6 or more white sharks will show up at that floating whale carcass since there are more sharks around now in that area.
And many boats will go out to watch, film and photo the spectacle.-Tom
Do they have to wear masks while feeding?
Tom,
Can you post the pics. I can not get onto the Mass Live link.
thanks
No. White sharks are a protected species, both Federally and by the State. -Tom
And to think ..... in the history record of the movie ‘Jaws’, prior to the mechanical Bruce, there were NO sightings of great whites in Cape Cod Bay!!!
White sharks are a protected species, both Federally and by the State.
What about Black Tips?................
Does someone think that there is a supermarket where sharks normally get their food?
Just got off the phone with a shark biologist I know personally who said there are 5 white sharks in view right now, 4PM Tuesday, at the whale carcass, and probably more whites out of sight below. -Tom
So this was a result of Caliph Baraq’s birthday shindig?
“And to think ..... in the history record of the movie ‘Jaws’, prior to the mechanical Bruce, there were NO sightings of great whites in Cape Cod Bay!!!”
No shortage of them now. Five at the carcass at 4PM today.-Tom
Thanks Tom,
Where is it?
Off Chatham or Orleans?
You would think they would tow that thing out into the deeper ocean.
I was in Maui about 20 years ago and the same thing happened. A humpback died and floated into shore. The Tiger sharks came in for two days ripping chucks out of it. Huge crowds gathered on shore to watch. Then they towed it out into the deeper water.
It is off Provincetown. Northerly Toward Stellwagen Bank.
Plenty of white sharks in that area, making the turn back and forth into Mass Bay and back to the easterly beaches of Cape Cod. -Tom
That better be the big GW, because the average Humpback is almost 50 feet long, so that shark is about 20ft given the perspective of the photo.
I have been there on the Yankee Fleet whale watches out of Gloucester.
And on the 10 o’clock news, video of bears crapping in the woods.
Opportunity for surfers. -Tom
I was on the phone with that spotter pilot today. Wayne Davis. He flies a 1969 Citabria white and blue colors, and does the spotting for DR. Greg Skomal who does the tagging for the State, and the Atlantic White Shak Conservancy, AWSC.
The last two days Wayne found offshore, 4 whale sharks for Woods Hole Oceanographic to tag and he also saw 10 different sperm whales offshore in those two days. From his many years of swordfish spotting, Wayne knows where to look for the elusive whale sharks.
Tomorrow he is flying for Chatham Bars Inn.
Most people don't realize the cost of tagging, and Wayne could put the State and AWSC white shark taggers on so many white sharks just about every flying day it would break their banks.
So tagging of white sharks by the State and AWSC is done in moderation as money and acoustic tags become available.
Glad to know you got to see the tagging.
And yes I said a 1969 Citabria. He put a new engine in it a few months ago and says it is working fine.
Many years ago he added on a belly tank for more fuel, and has stayed up on many occasions on offshore flights for many hours. -Tom
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