Overview

• The Marine Animal Response Society confirmed on June 16 that the remains of a large mako shark washed up June 14 near Port Dufferin on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore.
• Executive Director Tonya Wimmer said the adult female measured 3.6 metres and was in advanced decomposition, preventing investigators from determining its cause of death.
• Shortfin mako sharks are oceanic dwellers that typically inhabit warmer offshore currents like the Gulf Stream, making this shoreline discovery exceptionally rare.
• Designated endangered in 2019, the species faces heavy pressure from longline fisheries and limited data on its shifting distribution complicates conservation efforts.
• Researchers are evaluating whether warmer ocean temperatures are influencing rare near-shore appearances of mako sharks.