Capitola Great White Shark dies in unusual way
The Great White Shark that washed ashore near Pleasure Point Saturday died from an unidentified pathogen that caused serious brain and liver damage, according to shark researcher Sean Van Sommeran with Pelagic Shark Research Foundation.
The shark was first spotted on Friday afternoon struggling in the water. Several agencies, including the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, worked to save the protected predator that was not yet full grown. Eventually, the shark went belly up turning the rescue into a recovery mission.
“Waves were bashing it (the shark) against the rocks,” said Van Sommeran. It had already been beaten up really badly and they don’t do that if there are healthy. They don’t get caught Inside. The shark was half brain dead before it even got here.”
Van Sommeran is no stranger to dying sharks. He says over the last two years in the San Francisco Bay he’s been seeing mass strandings and die-offs of Leopard Sharks and other types animals.
“The tide gates at this point are trapping and killing thousands of animals. This is compounded by the periodic and chronic problem with spills and run off,” said Van Sommeran.
In the Monterey Bay, Van Sommeran says there is no evidence to show a significant increase of White Sharks in the bay. He advises that people don’t panic, but rather just be aware. Beachgoers we spoke to hear that advice.
“You always got to be watching out for what’s going on,” said David Ferreira of Watsonville.” Currents, sharks anything can happen so you just got to be aware of your surroundings.”
Others were saddened by the death of the Great White.
“It’s sad when you hear about them dying on the beach,” said Chris Robinson of Soquel. “But it makes me happy to live here where we are surrounded by this amazing natural phenomenon.”
The state is expected to learn more about the pathogen, which Van Sommeran says has never been seen in a Great White Shark before, when they finish cross tests with other labs.
