What killed this 14-foot endangered hammerhead? Experts are searching for answers
- A 14-foot female great hammerhead shark washed ashore on Carolina Beach, North Carolina, on Sunday.
- The shark was first spotted in the surf early Sunday morning and fully beached by early afternoon.
- Volunteers from the North Carolina Shark Conservancy collected samples for genetics and educational purposes, but the exact cause of death could not be determined.
- Experts observed a deep laceration at the base of the shark’s tail, which likely impaired its swimming, and fresh puncture wounds in its mouth consistent with fishing gear.
- Great hammerhead sharks are classified as critically endangered globally, although they are not on the US federal endangered and threatened species list.
More bulletins