A shark measuring around 12 feet has washed up on a popular Moray beach.
A shark, believed to be a young basking shark, has washed up on Portgordon beach. Picture: Peter MacDonald
The sight of what is believed to be a young basking shark’s carcass on Portgordon’s sands is said to be extremely rare given the creature’s natural tendency to sink to the bottom of the sea after it dies.
The find was photographed by retired Peter MacDonald who posted it on the Moray Wildlife Facebook page on Saturday.
It is understood that the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme has been informed.
While such beach deposits happen on average around once a year in the UK, experts from the Marine Strandings Network have said that basking shark carcasses normally sink.
When they do wash up, it offers “a very rare opportunity” for scientists to study them.
A shark, believed to be a young basking shark, has washed up on Portgordon beach. Picture: Peter MacDonald
The large liver of the basking shark contains a high quantity of oil, making the carcass buoyant for a while before it sinks to the sea or ocean bed.
Possible causes of a beaching are said to include being trapped in shallow waters when the tide goes out, being injured by a boat strike or entanglement in fishing gear or being old and weak.
Basking sharks are typically about 24ft in length, making them the second largest type after the whale shark, so the Portgordon find is thought to be a young shark.
Mr MacDonald, also posting pictures of birdlife near Portgordon Harbour, wrote on social media: “The Yin and Yang of wildlife at Portgordon today.
“The sad sight of a young Basking shark, about 12 ft long, and then over at the harbour birds.”
The post drew a large number of responses, with many people expressing sadness at the sight of the dead shark.
Jan Burgess, one of Moray Wildlife’s social media administrators, said: “Amazing to see the shark close up, but very sad.”
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