No Day at the Beach
Beached shark chases New Yorkers from water. Then they shove it right back in.
Sept. 2, 2007 — -- Kids enjoying the last bit of summer at New York City's Rockaway Beach witnessed a scene right out of the movies on Saturday. Hundreds of swimmers fled the waters at the sight of a five-foot shark near the shore.
The New York police and fire departments responded to the scene, and the beach was closed.
But marine biologists say, in fact, there was little danger. The shark was a deepwater species called a thresher, and humans aren't on threshers' menus.
"They're very shy creatures," said Joni Lawrence, vice president of MarineBio, a non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness about marine conservation.
She said the shark's acute sense of smell allows it to distinguish between human and fish blood.
A thresher sighting close to shore is rare. According to Lawrence, the sharks prefer cool, deep waters, and avoid the warm coastal areas like Rockaway Beach. Lawrence said the shark may have been lured from its habitat, looking for fish, or may have been just plain curious.
"Any time you see a shark, you should be cautious, because they can be very unpredictable," Lawrence warned. "But I, myself, wouldn't hesitate to jump right in."
The New York Post reported a lifeguard first spotted the shark around 10:30 a.m. Soon after, the shark washed ashore. Some intrepid beachgoers actually pushed the shark back into the water. But, the shark returned about an hour later, stirring the panic.
Park officials said a dead thresher washed ashore at Rockaway Beach Sunday morning. Authorities presume it is the same shark.
"It is now safe to go back into the water," said New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe.
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