'Sick or injured': What's causing the beached sharks on Pensacola Beach?


by Sha'de RayMon, September 18th 2023, 

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. -- Two sharks that washed up on Pensacola Beach in the recent days have gained plenty of attention.

First, a longfin mako shark beached itself Thursday afternoon before a group of men helped it back into the Gulf. A mako shark was spotted dead a day later in the Gulf near the shore of Pensacola Beach, although officials can't confirm or deny that it was the same one.

Then, a hammerhead shark also washed up on Pensacola Beach on Saturday.

A marine biologist tells WEAR News on Monday that sharks washing up on shore can be a rare occurrence. She says there can be many factors to cause this -- from an injury to stress.

Kennady Brinley, stranding coordinator with Emerald Coast Wildlife, says animals can beach themselves for a number of other reasons -- forced ashore by abnormal rip currents, getting lost or hunting for food.

"You have to think maybe that animal was sick or injured," Brinley said about the mako shark. "It could have died due to stress. Maybe somebody caught it offshore and then due to being stressed out, it could have stranded that way."

Brinley says if people find a beached shark, don't pull it backwards by its fins.

"Sharks always have to be moving forward," she said. "That's why when you see them swimming, they're always moving forward. So whenever they're pulled backwards, that is allowing for an opportunity for drowning to occur."

Brinley says there is a need for specific marine life rescue crews that can be equipped to save sharks that are in distress.

She says the beachgoers gave the mako a chance at survival.

Still, Brinley urges people who see any stranded mammal to call organizations like Emerald Coast Wildlife or Florida Fish and Wildlife for help.