Three thresher sharks were found dead Massachusetts’s Cape Cod Bay this week as temperatures plunged following a cold front this week that caused sub-freezing temperatures across most of the country.
Experts believed that the sharks died due to cold shock. Temperatures in the area were as low as five degrees. The three thresher sharks were all males and all close to 14 feet long. Two were found by beachgoers Wednesday on Wellfleet and Skaget beaches. The third was discovered Friday near Brewster.
Cold shock occurs when an organism is suddenly exposed to extreme dips in temperature. It can cause muscle spasms or cardiac arrest. Sharks affected by cold shock can become stranded on land and quickly suffocate. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy group said on Facebook the sharks were dissected and are now being further examined through organ and tissue samples.
