First confirmed 2025 sighting of white shark in Mass. waters
The first white shark of the 2025 season has been spotted off the coast of Massachusetts.
The sighting happened off of Nantucket on May 11, according to The New England Aquarium (NEAQ).
A person who was on the shore of Smith's Point in Madaket on the island noticed a 'pool of blood' in the water, then saw a seal swimming toward the beach.
A shark was following close behind the seal, the witness said.
After the seal got to shore, an NEAQ scientist examined pictures of the seal's wounds and confirmed its bites came from a white shark.
'This is the time of year when we like to remind people to be 'shark smart' as white sharks return to the inshore waters of New England, where they'll hunt seals and other prey through the summer and into the fall,' said John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist in the Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life.
To be 'shark smart,' the public should be aware of sharks' presence in shallow waters. The public is also advised to avoid areas where there are seals or schools of fish, and to stay close to shore.
Scientists also encourage the public to report shark sightings through the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app, which has information on shark activity.
'Increased shark sightings can be a positive sign of a recovering marine ecosystem, but this recovery also means that people should take even more care while swimming or surfing,' said Dr. Nick Whitney, senior scientist and chair of the Anderson Cabot Center's Fisheries Science and Emerging Technologies program.
'Our work in the Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center focuses on balancing ocean use with preservation, meaning we recognize the importance of the ocean for human use while trying to reduce the impact of humans on sharks, and vice versa,' Whitney said.
This limited edition cherry blossom multi-styler is the perfect Dyson Airwrap dupe
This Shark Vacuum is under $200 and it might be the best Dyson alternative yet
100 sharks were tagged on Cape Cod. Here's where they went
Owner wants to sell Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream in Worcester
Shark sighting: Orleans police respond to 'not typical' call for service
Read the original article on MassLive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Rare 20-year-old plant is blooming for the first and last time at Point Defiance
For a short window of time, visitors to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will be in the presence of an unusual sight. The zoo's botanical garden has been the home and caretaker to an Agave parryi var. truncata, also referred to as an artichoke agave, for more than 17 years. Now, the plant is blooming for the first and only time over the next few weeks, a rare sight in Washington state, far from its natural habitat, Point Defiance Zoo lead horticulturist Bryon Jones told The News Tribune on Thursday. 'This plant is definitely an uncommon sight in the Northwest, and super uncommon to see one actually blooming that you can actually see in a public setting,' Jones said. According to the University of Arizona Campus Arboretum, the artichoke agave is an evergreen, perennial succulent part of the asparagus family — or asparagaceae — that presents with a blue-gray hue and pointy, toothed leaves growing in rosettes. Agave parryi var. truncata is native to central Mexico, but can also be found in the mountainous areas of the desert southwest, including in Arizona and New Mexico, he said. Artichoke agave plants typically take 15-20 years to reach maturity, at which point they bloom for one time only before dying, Jones said. During a bloom, the agave will grow a single stalk from its center — Jones said he had first noticed the beginning of the stalk around May 6 and estimated that this agave has reached about nine feet in height, meaning it could still grow taller in the coming weeks. The plant is just inside the zoo's main entrance. The zoo acquired the plant from a local nursery in Tacoma about 17 years ago, when the plant was the size of a softball — it is likely around 20 years old now, Jones said, adding that he has been working at the zoo's botanical garden for about 20 years and anticipating its bloom. 'All I saw was the middle of it started looking like some crazy alien was starting to come out of the middle of it, and then it came up so fast ... for the last few weeks, it would be two to three feet a week,' he said. He added that yellow flowers will blossom at the tip of the stalk likely in the next two to three weeks and will probably attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. The flowers should be visible on the plant for another two to three weeks; after that, if pollinated, they will start producing seeds, he said. The stalk, however, will remain in place throughout the summer and likely into fall, he said, adding that the zoo may take it down before winter once it begins to decompose and fall. Jones said the zoo also has a few other artichoke agave plants growing nearby that may bloom in the coming years; some appear to be a similar size and age, meaning it is possible that two or three blooms may eventually occur at the same time, he added. 'This is the first Agave parryi. Now, there's little agaves, and we've had a couple of those ... their stem is like the size of your finger,' Jones said. 'So, this is the first time we've had one this giant blooming.' Despite being out of its native habitat, the plant requires little upkeep other than the need to keep it raised to improve drainage and making sure it doesn't get too cold, Jones added, noting that the agave's native habitat often gets colder than the weather in Western Washington, which makes it relatively easy to grow in Tacoma. Krystle Robbins, a zoo visitor who was admiring the agave on Thursday, told The News Tribune she was impressed by the height of the stalk and enjoyed Jones' longtime investment in the plant and passion for nature. She said she'd be interested in returning to the zoo to see the agave once its flowers bloomed. 'I've never seen one in such a scale in person, it's really beautiful,' Robbins said. 'It's pretty amazing up here in the Pacific Northwest to see something like this.'
Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
10 Best Aquariums Around the World to Visit
Father with daughter watching sharks in aquarium Oceans are often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth" because they play a crucial role in producing 50%-80% of the oxygen in our atmosphere and they absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide, helping to regulate the Earth's climate. The growing interest in the welfare of our marine life and oceans has undoubtedly led to increased visits of the world's aquariums. While some aquariums focus primarily on entertainment, others are crucial for education, conservation and scientific research. Ethical aquariums aim to inspire ocean conservation, rehabilitate injured marine life and support research efforts that help protect vulnerable species. Here are ten of the world's best aquariums that do a good job in balancing entertainment and ethics. Underwater tunnel at Oceanografic, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, Spain The biggest aquarium in Europe, located in the stunning City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, is worth a visit for the architecture alone. The futuristic design features gleaming white concrete, glass and water in a complex of five buildings designed by famous Spanish architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela in 1998. The Oceanogràfic building houses around 45,000 animals and 500 species. The aquarium consists of ten different habitats, including a Mediterranean environment, the Arctic Ocean, the Red Sea and the tropics. A highlight is the longest underwater tunnel in Europe where you feel you're swimming with fish all around you, including beluga whales, Angel Sharks, Barrel Jellyfish and Blacktip reef sharks. Oceanário de Lisbon is located in Parque das Nações Opened in 1998, the Lisbon Oceanarium's permanent exhibition One Planet, One Ocean is a wonderful multi-sensory experience. The central aquarium represents the 'global ocean' and hosts about 500 species from four oceans, surrounded by four distinct marine habitats. Visitors can meet various species of sharks, sea otters, sunfish, puffins, sea dragons, clownfish, eels, rays and stunning corals, among many others. The aquarium is located in the Dock of Olivais, in the Park of Nations (the site of the 1998 World Expo) and has an excellent restaurant, SeaTheFuture, featuring a menu of organic, seasonal products from local producers. The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco The Musée Océanographique de Monaco opened by Prince Albert I in 1910, has one of the oldest aquariums in the world. From the start, the museum attracted the world-leading oceanographers (including Jacques Cousteau, director from 1957-1988) who developed the concept of a future Mediterranean Commission dedicated to oceanography, now called Mediterranean Science Commission. Four aquariums, specially designed to recreate complex ecosystems, include: the shark lagoon against the bright colors of a coral reef; the Mediterranean sea with 100 of the 650 species of fish living in the Mediterranean and more than 200 species of invertebrates; the tropical sea with deadly stonefish, clown fish and the unnerving moray eel. Red Blood Parrot in Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, USA Since opening in 1984, in a lovely oceanfront location, the aim of the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium has been to inspire conservation of the ocean through its exhibits and research. When it opened, it was the largest public aquarium in the United States and the first in the world to exhibit a living kelp forest and to successfully care for and display a great white shark. Today the 28 feet tall and 65 feet long Kelp Forest exhibit is one of the main attractions of the aquarium. The Open Sea wing is also essential viewing, featuring three separate galleries with various jellyfish and other plankton found in the bay plus tufted puffins and sea turtles. Yellow Fish in S.E.A. Aquarium, Singapore With over 100,000 marine animals and 1,000 species distributed in 40 different environments, S.E.A. Aquarium which opened in 2012, is the fourth largest aquarium in the world. A highlight is the 36-meter underwater tunnel that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the water, viewing hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, giant groupers and the red-bellied pacu, a native species to Asia. The aquarium also houses rare and endangered species like the Bow mouth Guitarfish, Moray Eel and Blue Tang. Also on show are unique corals like the Bubble Coral and Sun Coral with explanations of the importance of coral reefs in the marine ecosystem. The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta Expect to see a wide range of the world's most fascinating animals and sea creatures from the African Penguin, Beluga Whale, California Sea Lion, Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Tiger Shark and Whale Shark. And speaking of the latter, this aquarium was actually designed around a whale shark exhibit, making it the first aquarium outside of Asia that hosts the giant species. The Georgia Aquarium, the largest in the world on opening in 2005, is on land donated by the Coca-Cola Company, just north of Centennial Olympic Park. Group of fishes and coral at Sea Life Aquarium, Sydney, Australia As one of world's newest aquariums, having opened in 2023, visitors can see over 4,000 animals from 300 different species, including large species such as tiger sharks and orcas. One of Sea Life e's highlights is the world's largest variety of Australian aquatic life, a rescue dugong called Pig. Another popular attraction is the Penguin Expedition Boat Ride, where you can see a spectacular colony of king and gentoo penguins. Also unmissable is the Great Barrier Reef exhibit, the largest in the world. National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, UK The largest aquarium in the UK, the National Marine Aquarium, is home to over 4,000 animals and features groundbreaking ocean conservation work, according to its website. The aquarium is also home to the Ocean Conservation Trust, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the ocean. There are lots of different exhibits and animals found in this harborfront museum. One exhibit shows some of the stunning and colorful animals found locally in the rockpools around the coast. The Eddystone Reef exhibit features local sharks and stingrays while the Ocean Drifters exhibit features mesmerising jellyfish. National Aquarium, Copenhagen, Denmark The striking architecture of Denmark's national aquarium, Den Bla Planet, which opened in 2013 was inspired by a whirlpool with visitors entering into the vortex – the curved lobby – and from here are drawn out to the 53 aquariums and installations. Inside you'll see what is described as 'the big five' – sea otters, hammerhead sharks, stingrays, giant Pacific octopus and the arapaima (one of the largest freshwater fish in the world.) Penguins in Alesund Aquarium, Norway Since 1998, the Atlanterhavsparken Foundation has been one of Northern Europe's largest and most unique saltwater aquariums. Animals and fish live in unfiltered water straight from the sea outside. The Atlantic Tank is one of Europe's largest saltwater tanks where you'll see all the large cold-water fish that live in our oceans. The aquarium is located in one of the world's most scenic locations, in Norway's western fjords. After exploring the aquarium, hike up to the Fjellstua Viewpoint. Be prepared for several hundred steps to get to the top but the views over the town and sea are worth the effort.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Yahoo
Axolotls introduced to aquarium at Sioux Falls zoo
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A popular aquatic creature is being introduced to the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, according to a news release. 29-year-old state inmate dead; 9th this year Axolotls are aquatic salamanders native to a few small lakes in Mexico City. In the wild, axolotlsare critically endangered, with fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining. Their tiny habitat isthreatened by pollution, invasive species, and disease, according to the Sioux Falls Zoo. Wild axolotls are typically dark in color, with mottled patterns of brown and green. In the pet trade, axolotls are found in a variety of colors, including leucitic (pink/white). Axolotls have experienced a meteoric rise in popularity as pets and in pop culture in recentyears. However, a professional animal care setting is more suitable, as they have highly specialized care needs and habitat conditions, the zoo said in a news release. Axolotls found in pet stores are mostly likely part of a captive-bred population. Over-breeding has led to many axolotls with genetic defects and weakened immune systems. The Butterfly House & Aquarium is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can see the axolotls in Ambassador Alley, next to the Marsh Turtle habitat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
