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Likely natural cause in shark’s death
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Posted on Sep 26 2019
The CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife quashed rumors circulating on social media yesterday about an alleged rash of dead sharks being found in CNMI waters, saying the recent dead shark sighting on Saipan is no cause for alarm.
The CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife recovered yesterday a dead blacktip reef shark at the waters off the Governor Inos Peace Park.
In response to a call from a concerned citizen, DFW fisheries biologist Trey Dunn, with several DFW enforcement officers, went to the area and found the dead shark. A 7-foot tawny nurse shark was also present and was circling around the dead shark.
The dead shark was removed by DFW, and the healthy nurse shark swam away.
“We necropsied the dead 4-foot-8-inch blacktip reef shark and took some measurements and samples, and discovered that the shark was a healthy female and had recently given birth,” Dunn said in a statement. “Blacktip reef sharks give birth to live young.”
DFW also found some bite marks from the nurse shark, as well as a small puncture wound on the underside of the blacktip shark.
“These injuries appeared to be post-mortem (after death]. The cause of death could not be conclusively determined but was likely a natural death from a combination of stress from birth and other factors,” Dunn said in the statement.
Both sharks are common within the Saipan Lagoon and nearshore reefs of the Northern Marianas.
“Neither species of shark is likely to be dangerous to humans without provocation. However, it is best not to swim where people are actively fishing especially with live bait,” the DFW statement adds.
According to DFW, sharks may be attracted to fish feeding, dead fish, struggling fish, or bait. While sharks are not likely to bite humans, feeding them and other fish may encourage aggressive behavior and makes human bites more likely.
“Bites only occur when sharks are harassed or dead or dying fish are present. Your chances of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 11.5 million, which is much lower than your chances (1 in 2 million) of being involved in another beach-related fatality like drowning.”
For dead shark sightings, contact the CNMI Division of Fish & Wildlife at 664-6044.
