Was This Great White The New York Shark Attack Culprit?
The corpse of a great white shark washed up on the shores of Quogue, New York on July 20th. Coincidentally, that is the same day of the last shark attack reported off the south shores of Long Island. Could there have been a single shark that was creating havoc amongst beachgoers? Was there something wrong with this beast that caused it to attack swimmers and surfers?
There were 5 confirmed shark attacks in the month of July off New York beaches. However, none have been reported since July 20th, the same day that the corpse of this great white shark washed up on the beaches of Quogue in eastern Long Island. So the question remains, is it possible that this shark went rogue and started attacking people? What was wrong with the shark and why did it wash up on the beach?
The answer is, no one really knows. It's possible but certainly not probable. Sharks generally don't like the taste of humans. That's why they generally bite their victims and let go. If you see the videos when they attack seals, the sharks don't let go and go away. The sharks maul their prey. They prefer the big fatty body of a seal. If they liked the taste of the swimmer's ankle, there is little chance that they will let go and swim away.
As recently as Thursday, Jones Beach State Park on Long Island closed two of its beaches due to sharks feeding close to shore. That is normal for this time of year, especially over the past decade. However, the numbers of sharks have alarmed the State of New York enough to dedicate resources to monitor the beaches with more lifeguards, along with additional observation via airplane, helicopter and drone. At least the good news is, for whatever reason, the shark bites have stopped for now. Maybe the problem washed ashore. Maybe the extra observation helped. Most likely we will never know why they all happened.