[Scarlett156]

It might have been a friendly wild animal that had become a sort of pet.

Or, more gruesomely, they may have been curing it for food. Mr K (not the one on this forum) is a Finn by ancestry and they eat rotten shark meat that has been buried for some time.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Actually they do think it might have been stored for food but in that case it should have been packed around with salt and there should have been traces left.

It could have done something "heroic" pushed someone into shore or fought off a shark (are there sharks there? Probably) and died in the attempt.

Since it would have been regarded as a miracle giving it a Christian burial would have been regarded as the right thing to do.

[ViLaLuz]

Mmmmmmmm hakarl, followed by a shot of Aquavit.