5,000-pound shark washed ashore

[J.Stash]

5,000-pound shark washes ashore on Long Island

By Jesse Solomon

CNNNEW YORK (CNN) -- A 26-foot-long dying shark washed ashore Tuesday on a Long Island beach, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said.

The basking shark that washed ashore on Long Island, New York, on Tuesday was 26 feet, 6 inches long.

The male basking shark, which weighed an estimated 5,000 pounds and was measured at 26 feet, 6 inches, died shortly after authorities arrived on the scene, according to marine educator Tracy Marcus of the Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Marcus, who was at the beach at the time, said there were no outer abrasions on the shark, ruling out of the possibility of a boat strike, and the cause of the shark's death was unknown to investigators.

Basking sharks can grow up to 35 feet in length and are the second-largest fish in the oceans after the whale shark, Marcus said.

The basking shark, which is non-threatening to humans, feeds mostly on plankton and smaller fish. Watch shark being washed ashore ?

This particular species spends the summer months off America's Northeast coast and then migrates to the warm waters off South America for summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Source - http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/14/new.york....ched/index.html

[Guest jesper]

poor thing:( thats a big shark :)

[Guest Mev]

I know it's not a man eater but can you imagine that swimming up next to you while on holiday

[Guest DonDany21]

That's Huge ..

[J.Stash]

I know it's not a man eater but can you imagine that swimming up next to you while on holiday

No I couldn't :lol:

[Guest ftorrentf]

sad but scary! i think giant squids are more frightful than sharks

[Guest Mev]

No I couldn't :lol:

Me neither, not without a change of underwear :lol:

[Guest darkmagician]

after watching JAWS

It is not good to swim with sharks you know

[Guest doctor]

ok ...........! that is one huge shark ... watch out when u swim in the sea :lol:

[Guest Valeyard]

It seems like sharks are swimming closer to shore lately on the east coast (USA). Why is that? Soon everyone will be afraid to go in the water.

[Guest colt45]

Thanksssss

[Guest headies]

all they do is swim around with the mouths open eating Plankton! I dont even think they have teeth! but they still are HUGE!

[Bateman]

jaws!

[Guest edgeicator]

It's a sign that the San Jose Sharks will win Stanley cup. :D

[Guest Dark_Dionysus]

Megalodon, woot xD

[Guest Beat Theory]

It's a sign that the San Jose Sharks will win Stanley cup. :D

I don't see how... the shark just...died o.o

[Guest bigdady]

maybe becouse it needs to be in the wather

[Guest Jboo]

I knew it!!!! Jaws was real!!!!

[Guest TheDane]

Damn that's a huge shark...but it's kinda sad!

[Guest Camilla]

Some whales tend to do this and there is not explanation why. Quite sad.