Shark Expert Weighs In After Massive Great White Washes Up on Cape Cod Shore

Looks like even the sharks in Cape Cod are making headlines—this one just needed a tow truck to make its exit.

At a glance:

  • A 12-foot great white shark washed up on a Cape Cod beach and was removed by a local tow truck company.
  • Experts, including Captain Chip Michalove, are investigating the cause of the shark’s death.
  • The shark, named Koala, showed no obvious signs of trauma, but further testing will be conducted.

Law enforcement in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, found themselves in an unusual situation when a massive great white shark washed up on shore. On October 15, the Orleans Police Department called in a local tow truck company, Nauset Recovery, to haul away the 12-foot predator, creating a scene that residents likened to something straight out of Jaws.

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Marine experts are still trying to determine what led to the death of the shark, identified as “Koala,” a mature male previously tagged in 2022. Captain Chip Michalove, a well-known shark expert and owner of Outcast Sport Fishing, told Fox News Digital that the cause of death remains unclear, though the shark may have stranded itself while chasing seals near the shore.

Michalove praised the local shark research team in Cape Cod, calling them “the best on the Atlantic” and confident that they will uncover the reasons behind the shark’s death. While a necropsy has already been performed, no definitive answers have emerged yet, though the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy noted that further testing is necessary.

The shark population along the Atlantic coast, especially in New England, peaks during the summer months, and Michalove confirmed that large numbers of great whites are commonly found in this region. “While they don’t school together, they are concentrated in Canada and New England,” he said, adding that these sharks tend to move south to warmer waters in the fall.

Despite this tragic loss, Michalove noted the success of shark conservation efforts over the past 30 years. “The good news is that this species is extremely healthy,” he said. “There’s a lot more now than there was 30 years ago.”

As for Koala, further analysis will be conducted to determine if the shark’s death was caused by injury or other factors, but for now, the cause remains a mystery.