Latest news with #MassachusettsDivisionofMarineFisheries
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Scientists standing by to rescue rare manatee sighted in cold New England waters
BOSTON (AP) — A manatee was recently spotted off the coast of Massachusetts for the first time in almost a decade and scientists want to monitor its condition to see if a rescue is necessary before it succumbs to the cold water or lack of food, they said Friday. The threatened species, which makes its habitat in warmer southern Gulf waters in places like Florida, was first seen July 26 off the southwestern coast of Cape Cod in the area of Nantucket Sound. Mashpee resident Jennifer Sullivan took a video of it swimming alongside paddle boarders in an inlet behind a marina surrounded by sea grass. She said on Monday that she found the manatee, which was as long and wide as her paddleboard, 'just lazing around there in the grass going as slowly as possible.' 'It was completely unfazed by us,' said Sullivan, who went on to say she felt 'just in awe of how graceful the creature was and to be so close in the wild to it.' A few days later, the animal was seen stranded on the tidal flats in Mattapoisett. Bystanders who found the manatee beached on the flats around sunrise pushed it back into the water, said Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Protected Species Program Manager Erin Burke. It hasn't been spotted since, Burke said, but a team with the International Fund for Animal Welfare is standing by to rescue the animal if it becomes necessary. The species prefers swimming in warmer waters, usually traveling only as far north as the Carolinas. If the manatee stays in water that is too cold for too long, it could suffer severe illness or death, said New England Aquarium Research Scientist Dr. Nadine Lysiak. Additionally, manatees are herbivores that sustain themselves on extensive seagrass beds and mangroves not typically found in New England. 'Even if it doesn't experience cold stunning, it may have some health declines associated with not having enough food, not having enough water,' she said. 'So it's important to intervene as soon as it's sighted again to prevent health declines.' Lysiak said it's unclear how and why the manatee found its way so far north. It may have followed the warm water Gulf Stream current system from Florida up past the Carolinas and eventually found its way to New England, she said. 'We have kind of an average understanding of what a wild population does in terms of their range, or their habitat range, and some individuals will go beyond that and maybe wander or seek out other habitats or other food sources,' she said. 'It's hard to know exactly why this manatee came to Cape Cod.' Manatee sightings are uncommon in New England, but not unheard of. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. In 2008 and 2009, different manatees were sighted in Cape Cod Bay — the furthest north the animals have ever been identified. Both were eventually rescued, with one dying on the trip to Florida for rehabilitation. The other survived the trip south, living until 2018. In 2016, a manatee was spotted off the coast of Falmouth. In 2023, one of the animals was seen in Rhode Island. Anyone who sees the manatee is asked to document their GPS position and call the stranding network hotline, (508) 743-9548. Sullivan said she feels 'blessed that I could be in the right place and the right time to see the creature,' and she's hoping it's healthy and safe. 'I pray he just turned right around and went back south,' she said.
6 days ago
- Health
Scientists standing by to rescue rare manatee sighted in cold New England waters
BOSTON -- A manatee was recently spotted off the coast of Massachusetts for the first time in almost a decade and scientists want to monitor its condition to see if a rescue is necessary before it succumbs to the cold water or lack of food, they said Friday. The threatened species, which makes its habitat in warmer southern Gulf waters in places like Florida, was first seen July 26 off the southwestern coast of Cape Cod in the area of Nantucket Sound. Mashpee resident Jennifer Sullivan took a video of it swimming alongside paddle boarders in an inlet behind a marina surrounded by sea grass. She said on Monday that she found the manatee, which was as long and wide as her paddleboard, 'just lazing around there in the grass going as slowly as possible.' 'It was completely unfazed by us," said Sullivan, who went on to say she felt 'just in awe of how graceful the creature was and to be so close in the wild to it.' A few days later, the animal was seen stranded on the tidal flats in Mattapoisett. Bystanders who found the manatee beached on the flats around sunrise pushed it back into the water, said Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Protected Species Program Manager Erin Burke. It hasn't been spotted since, Burke said, but a team with the International Fund for Animal Welfare is standing by to rescue the animal if it becomes necessary. The species prefers swimming in warmer waters, usually traveling only as far north as the Carolinas. If the manatee stays in water that is too cold for too long, it could suffer severe illness or death, said New England Aquarium Research Scientist Dr. Nadine Lysiak. Additionally, manatees are herbivores that sustain themselves on extensive seagrass beds and mangroves not typically found in New England. 'Even if it doesn't experience cold stunning, it may have some health declines associated with not having enough food, not having enough water,' she said. 'So it's important to intervene as soon as it's sighted again to prevent health declines.' Lysiak said it's unclear how and why the manatee found its way so far north. It may have followed the warm water Gulf Stream current system from Florida up past the Carolinas and eventually found its way to New England, she said. 'We have kind of an average understanding of what a wild population does in terms of their range, or their habitat range, and some individuals will go beyond that and maybe wander or seek out other habitats or other food sources," she said. "It's hard to know exactly why this manatee came to Cape Cod.' Manatee sightings are uncommon in New England, but not unheard of. In 2008 and 2009, different manatees were sighted in Cape Cod Bay — the furthest north the animals have ever been identified. Both were eventually rescued, with one dying on the trip to Florida for rehabilitation. The other survived the trip south, living until 2018. In 2016, a manatee was spotted off the coast of Falmouth. In 2023, one of the animals was seen in Rhode Island. Anyone who sees the manatee is asked to document their GPS position and call the stranding network hotline, (508) 743-9548. Sullivan said she feels 'blessed that I could be in the right place and the right time to see the creature," and she's hoping it's healthy and safe. 'I pray he just turned right around and went back south," she said.
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Shocking moment paddleboarders in ‘Jaws' country come terrifyingly close to giant great white shark stalking waters
THIS is the terrifying moment paddleboarders in the "Jaws" country come dangerously close to a gargantuan great white shark. The creature swam just feet away from two pals enjoying the waters in Massachusetts on the Fourth of July. 4 The shark's fin is seen protruding from the water in the bottom right corner Credit: WHDH 4 Margaret's terrified face is captured in a picture Credit: WHDH 4 The shark's fin sticking out of the water Credit: WHDH College students Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin were splashing around on their paddleboards off Woods Hole on the southwest end of Cape Cod - when a terrifying great white shark emerged. The beast's eight-inch fin is captured in an image protruding from the water, panicking the two pals. Margaret is heard exclaiming in footage as she desperately jumps on her board for safety: "Oh!" The pair were in such disbelief at what they saw, they had to look back at Maddie's pictures and videos to confirm their suspicions. read more news GRIM ATTACK Surfer mauled in 'shark bite capital of world' after beast emerged from nowhere Margaret's terrified face is captured in a picture, while the sea beast's fin is seen popping out of the water a mere few feet away. She told WHDH: "I see this big fin pop up next to her, it's like eight inches out of the water sort of fleshy, gray and I'm like 'Oh my goodness that's a shark, we got to go.' "Once we were back to shore, I was kind of like no way, they aren't here. "It took a second to register that was what happened but it was a complete surprise. "I've spent time teaching marine biology here and swimming in the ocean. I certainly never expected for a great white shark to wander my way. "I always operated under the assumption that there were no sharks in Woods Hole. Surfer mauled in 'shark bite capital of the world' after beast 'clamped down like a bear trap out of nowhere' "I would have friends down and they'd ask, 'Are there sharks here?' And I'd be like, 'No, no way.'" The students managed to keep their "cool" and scrambled back to shore without encountering any trouble. After returning safely, the two joked that the shark had just suffered some direction trouble and got lost in the waters. They named the beast "Steve". The shocking image showing the fin was sent off to experts, with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries confirming the friends had in fact come face-to-face with a great white shark in Buzzards Bay. The shark encounter hasn't put the friends off returning to the beach however. Margaret added: "I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean. What happened was incredibly unlikely." What she did confess though is she is temporarily stopping wearing her wetsuit in the water. Margaret said: "That seems unadvisable at the time. "Hopefully 'Steve' moves on and I'll get right back to it." The shark sighting off the Stoney Beach shore is the first in the area in over a whopping two decades. The last confirmed sighting of a great white in Buzzards Bay was back in 2004, Cape and Islands reports.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Shocking moment paddleboarders in ‘Jaws' country come terrifyingly close to giant great white shark stalking waters
THIS is the terrifying moment paddleboarders in the "Jaws" country come dangerously close to a gargantuan great white shark. The creature swam just feet away from two pals enjoying the waters in Massachusetts on the Fourth of July. 4 The shark's fin is seen protruding from the water in the bottom right corner Credit: WHDH 4 Margaret's terrified face is captured in a picture Credit: WHDH 4 The shark's fin sticking out of the water Credit: WHDH College students Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin were splashing around on their paddleboards off Woods Hole on the southwest end of Cape Cod - when a terrifying great white shark emerged. The beast's eight-inch fin is captured in an image protruding from the water, panicking the two pals. Margaret is heard exclaiming in footage as she desperately jumps on her board for safety: "Oh!" The pair were in such disbelief at what they saw, they had to look back at Maddie's pictures and videos to confirm their suspicions. read more news Margaret's terrified face is captured in a picture, while the sea beast's fin is seen popping out of the water a mere few feet away. She told next to her, it's like eight inches out of the water sort of fleshy, gray and I'm like 'Oh my goodness that's a shark, we got to go.' "Once we were back to shore, I was kind of like no way, they aren't here. "It took a second to register that was what happened but it was a complete surprise. Most read in The US Sun "I've spent time teaching marine biology here and swimming in the ocean. I certainly never expected for a great white shark to wander my way. "I always operated under the assumption that there were no sharks in Woods Hole. Surfer mauled in 'shark bite capital of the world' after beast 'clamped down like a bear trap out of nowhere' "I would have friends down and they'd ask, 'Are there sharks here?' And I'd be like, 'No, no way.'" The students managed to keep their "cool" and scrambled back to shore without encountering any trouble. After returning safely, the two joked that the shark had just suffered some direction trouble and got lost in the waters. They named the beast "Steve". The shocking image showing the fin was sent off to experts, with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries confirming the friends had in fact come face-to-face with a great white shark in Buzzards Bay. The shark encounter hasn't put the friends off returning to the beach however. Margaret added: "I've already gone swimming since then. I love the ocean. What happened was incredibly unlikely." What she did confess though is she is temporarily stopping wearing her wetsuit in the water. Margaret said: "That seems unadvisable at the time. "Hopefully 'Steve' moves on and I'll get right back to it." The shark sighting off the Stoney Beach shore is the first in the area in over a whopping two decades. The last confirmed sighting of a great white in Buzzards Bay was back in 2004, 4 The students managed to keep their 'cool' and scrambled back to shore without encountering any trouble Credit: WHDH
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Maine's Great White Sharks And What We Know So Far
New research reveals that over the past 13 years, more than 100 great white sharks have been ... More detected off Maine's coast, with the majority of sightings occurring in recent years and in relatively shallow waters. Over the past 13 years, great white sharks have increasingly made their presence known off Maine's coast. More than 100 individual sharks have been detected, with the majority of sightings occurring in recent years and notably in shallow waters. This shift in behavior has prompted researchers to dive deeper into understanding what these sharks are doing in Maine's waters, and their latest findings have just been published in Frontiers in Marine Science. The research is the result of collaboration between the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and several other organizations. 'We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,' said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. 'This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.' This study is particularly significant because it marks the first time that researchers have been able to track the movements of white sharks over time in the region. The effort started in 2020, following a tragic event when a swimmer was killed by a white shark off the coast of Harpswell, marking Maine's first recorded fatal shark bite. In response to this incident, officials at the Maine DMR worked closely with other groups to expand the study of white sharks and their behavior in Maine's coastal waters. The team used an array of receivers placed along Maine's coastline, from York and Ogunquit to Kennebunk and Reid State Park. These receivers were designed to detect sharks that had been tagged off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Hilton Head, South Carolina. 'We are excited to have this study published and continue to expand our understanding of white ... More sharks in the western North Atlantic and the coastal waters in Maine,' said Matt Davis, the lead author of the study and a scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. 'This work could not have been done without the collaboration of many researchers and organizations, and we thank everyone involved.' With the data collected over the years, researchers were able to develop a clearer picture of the sharks' movements and behavior patterns in the area. The findings show that these sharks are spending time in waters less than 50 meters (164 feet) deep off Maine, with peak sightings occurring between July and September; this aligns with previous observations of white sharks using similar habitats in other regions. But what stands out in this recent study is how often these sharks are detected during daylight hours. Half of the shark detections occurred during the day, a time when beaches are typically busy with human activity. This was particularly true along areas like Ogunquit, Kennebunk, and Head Beach in Phippsburg, which had some of the highest numbers of shark detections. Despite the uptick in shark sightings, the team also found that the frequency of white shark detections along Maine's beaches was still relatively low compared to other regions where these sharks are known to frequent. For example, areas off Cape Cod, which has long been known as a hotspot for white sharks, saw far more frequent detections. The team emphasized that while the presence of sharks in Maine waters is notable, there is no reason to believe that humans are at significant risk. While sharks are often feared, they are a vital part of the marine ecosystem, playing an important role in regulating the populations of other marine species. Their presence in Maine's waters suggests a healthy marine environment, which could be beneficial for the overall ecosystem. The scientists hope the findings of this study will help inform future management strategies in Maine. By understanding where and when white sharks are most likely to be detected, researchers and policymakers can better communicate with the public about how to safely enjoy Maine's beaches without unnecessary fear. As Maine continues to see more shark detections in its waters, studies like this will be crucial in ensuring that shark conservation efforts continue while also keeping human safety a priority.
