Latest news with #JohnChisholm
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First white shark of season confirmed off New England after dead seal found on Massachusetts beach
BOSTON - Beachgoers, beware! The New England Aquarium in Boston said the first great white shark of the season was spotted lurking in the waters off Nantucket over the weekend. According to the aquarium, a witness noticed a pool of blood off Smith's Point in Madaket on the western end of the island on Sunday, May 11, and then saw a seal swimming toward the shore with a shark in pursuit. Groundbreaking Research Shows Great White Sharks May Change Color To Better Hunt Their Prey After examining photos of the seal, John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist in the aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, it was confirmed that the bite did indeed come 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," Chisholm said. So, what does it mean to be shark smart? Can Lights Help Prevent Shark Attacks? Chisholm said people heading to the beach need to be aware of sharks' presence in shallow water and avoid areas where seals are present or schools of fish are visible. It's also advised to stay close to shore, where emergency responders can get to you if you need help. Beachgoers can report shark sightings and can be alerted to shark activity with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app. What Are The Most Dangerous Beaches In America? The New England Aquarium has a team of nine scientists in the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life who study sharks, including porbeagle and nurse sharks, as well as thresher, blue, mako, sandbar, and sand tiger sharks. Officials said that, depending on the time of year, over 15 shark species reside in the waters off New article source: First white shark of season confirmed off New England after dead seal found on Massachusetts beach
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Season's first great white shark sighting in Massachusetts confirmed
NANTUCKET, Mass. (WWLP) – The season's first great white shark sighting was confirmed in Massachusetts, and Aquarium scientists are urging the public to be aware of their surroundings and report shark sightings if heading to the beach this summer. The New England Aquarium is urging the public to keep an eye out, be aware of their surroundings, and report shark sightings. The New England Aquarium says that on Sunday, a person noticed a pool of blood in the water off Smith's Point, the farthest west end of Nantucket. Examining the water, the person then saw a seal swimming toward he beach with a shark following it. Shark attacks: How much should you worry? Photos of the deceased seal were examined by shark expert John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist at the Aquarium, who confirmed that the wounds were from a white shark bite. '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,' Chisholm said. The white shark, or the great white shark, is built for speed with its torpedo-shaped body and has the ability to raise their body temperature above the surrounding seawater, which is rare in the fish world. The Department of Fish and Game says small white sharks are known to feed on striped bass and larger sharks target seals or scavenging humpback, minke, and right whales in Massachusetts waters. To help beachgoers track and report shark sightings, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is encouraging people to use the 'Sharktivity' app. It also helps raise awareness of a healthy co-existence between sharks and people. '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.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Great white shark bites seal in first sighting of the season off Massachusetts
It's time for beachgoers in Massachusetts to start thinking about sharks again, the New England Aquarium says. The first great white shark of the season was spotted off Nantucket on Sunday. The shark went after a seal off Smith's Point in Madaket, which is on the western end of the island. A witness saw a pool of blood in the water, then a seal swimming to the beach with a shark right behind. The Nantucket Current shared video of the bloody predation on social media. Massachusetts shark biologist John Chisholm looked at photos of the seal's wounds and confirmed that the bite was from a great white. "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," Chisholm said in a statement. Shark season in Massachusetts Chisholm also said that Cape Cod Bay is "full of basking sharks right now." According to the aquarium, basking sharks "might appear menacing" but they are harmless and only feed on plankton. Both white sharks and basking sharks are off Massachusetts now. Here's a cheat sheet on how to tell them apart. Remember, if you see a white shark please use the @sharktivity app to report it. — MA Sharks 🦈 (@MA_Sharks) May 12, 2025 Beachgoers are encouraged to be aware of the potential presence of sharks in shallow waters. They should avoid going in the ocean if seals or schools of fish are around, and always stay close to shore so emergency responders can reach them if needed. "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," aquarium senior scientist Nick Whitney said. Shark sightings can be reported to the Sharktivity app. Last year, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy installed acoustic shark receivers along the Outer Cape to detect great whites and get the word out to beachgoers. While sharks are returning to Massachusetts now, their numbers in the state tend to peak in late summer and early fall when the water is the warmest.
