A rare 1,316lb shark never before seen in the area has been found washed up dead on a beach after a mysterious ordeal.
The huge beast from the deep was first spotted stranded on the shoreline by shocked beachgoers, who quickly alerted authorities.
The enormous 14ft predator was discovered on 7 June after becoming trapped on Greve D’Azette beach in Jersey, as reported by Need To Know.
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At the time, the shark was still showing small signs of life before the rising tide carried it back out to sea.
But the dramatic saga took a tragic turn the following day.
On Monday (8 June), the whopping 1,316lb shark washed up on the same beach once again and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The grim discovery was made by a Durrell veterinary nurse.
Jersey Coastguard and British Divers Marine Life Rescue had responded to the original sighting, while Government of Jersey Marine Resources officials were called in after the shark returned to shore.
The Department for Infrastructure collected the animal and transported it to the Government knacker’s yard in Trinity for examination.
Experts believe the creature was an Odontaspis ferox, better known as a smalltooth sand tiger shark.
The rare species has never previously been recorded in Jersey since records began, making the discovery a remarkable first for the island.
However, smalltooth sand tiger sharks have been found washed up on UK coastlines before, with the species first recorded on British shores in 2023.
Adding to the mystery, a post-mortem examination failed to uncover a clear cause of death.
A spokesperson for the Government of Jersey Marine Resources said: “A post mortem was performed on the shark by New Era vets to look for cause of death.
“No obvious signs were found.
“The shark showed no signs of fisheries interaction or entanglement.
“The shark is a Smalltooth sand tiger shark (Odontaspis ferox).
“This species has not been found in Jersey since records began.
“However, it has been recorded washed up on the UK shoreline.
“We would like to thank all those involved.
“Especially BDMLR, Jersey Coastguard, Durrell, New Era vets, and the Department for Infrastructure for their diligent responses.”
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