Overview

• Local resident Jennifer Seebeck filmed the massive shark’s dorsal fin cutting through the waters of Great Salt Pond on Memorial Day
• Atlantic Shark Institute director Jon Dodd identified the animal as a harmless basking shark that feeds on plankton
• The shark is believed to have exited the pond about a day after it was first spotted
• Experts say warming ocean temperatures are drawing more shark species closer to Rhode Island shores during summer months
• Basking sharks are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, prompting experts to welcome the sighting as a boost for conservation efforts