State wildlife authorities in Washington are investigating after a thresher shark that washed ashore near Ocean Shores was found mysteriously decapitated.
Beachgoers who initially spotted the stranded shark intact on the sand reported that when they returned later that same day, its head had been severed and removed.
The decapitation has dealt a major blow to marine researchers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Officials emphasize that stranded sharks offer rare, crucial opportunities to study pelagic species that are understudied in Pacific Northwest waters.
Explaining how the missing head hinders scientific research, WDFW official Lisa Hillier noted:
“A lot of the information that we get from these animals is when they’re intact… When the head’s cut off, that changes all of the measurements. We also like to have the animal intact so that we can try to identify the cause of death, whether that was from bycatch in a fishing incident, commercial or recreational, or if it has something to do with a toxic algae or something in their stomach.”
Hillier added that warm ocean currents driven by El Niño are attracting more thresher sharks to Washington beaches:
“We do know that we have much warmer water now, and with the El Niño that’s happening right now, we have warmer currents, and that allows fish that have a warmer threshold for their temperature to come up into different waters.”
Related: Rare Whale Shark Sighting Near Malibu
Beyond hindering scientific research, the decapitation carries serious legal ramifications.
According to WDFW Police, recreational fishing, retention, or possession of thresher sharks—which are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN—is closed in all Washington waters.
Removing parts from a protected marine animal can trigger unlawful possession charges, resulting in criminal misdemeanors, hefty fines, and potential jail time.
Wildlife officials urge beachgoers who find stranded sharks never to touch or tamper with them, but to report sightings immediately to state authorities.
Related: Watch This “Chonky” Great White Shark Feast on a Buffet of Whale Carcass (Video)
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