In 1997, the country restricted the recreational and commercial fishing of the apex predators. Since then, there has been a steady increase in great white sharks. Cape Cod is known to have one of the highest shark populations in the country. In fact, the peninsula is a close runner-up for the shark attack capital of the world. There have been more sightings of this over the past few years. But how much of a danger are these Cape Cod sharks? How often are they spotted, and where will you likely encounter them? Here are a few things to know about great white sharks in Cape Cod.
Why Are There So Many Great White Sharks on Cape Cod?
Great white sharks have double protection in Massachusetts. In addition to receiving federal protection in 1997, Massachusetts also designated the great white sharks as a protected species in 2005. When you combine this with the recent boom in the seal population, it’s easy to see why great whites are suddenly becoming quite common species of Cape Cod sharks. Great white shark, Cape Cod: a 1,400 pound great white shark named Bob has been tracked near Cape Cod Cold Bay. Bob is just one of many to be found in the area. Each year many great white sharks are found in this region in increasing numbers from July to October. Biologists believe the reason these sharks are attracted to this area is by the abundant food sources also found there. The bounty program, which almost drove the seal population in the region to extinction, ended in the 1960s. Following this, the Marine Mammal Protection Act was enacted in 1972. This legislation has allowed the seal population to recover and recolonize the area. According to recent estimates, there are an estimated 50,000 seals on the cape. Naturally, sharks are drawn to areas with massive seal populations, so the sharks Cape Cod area became one of their preferred hunting grounds. In the past few years, Cape Cod great white shark sightings have increased. Experts think the increased sightings might not be because their population is increasing. According to experts, these sharks have been in the area for a long time. The surge in Cape Cod great white sharks’ sightings might be because humans are getting better at detecting them.
How Often Are They Spotted?
We can chalk down the increased sightings of Cape Cod great white sharks to advances in shark-tracking technology. However, there’s no denying that there have been a few more attacks and sightings over the past few years. According to data from the Boston Globe, an Atlantic white shark conservancy, the number of shark detections has increased yearly since 2013, with the detection rate increasing by 24% in 2021 alone. In 2017 there was a Cape Cod shark attack incident involving a paddle boarder off Marconi beach. An attack on a swimmer was also recorded in 2012. But neither of these were fatal attacks. The 2018 fatal attack on a bodyboarder on Newcomb Hollow Beach is the most recent death from a great white shark attack in Massachusetts. Before this, the last time anyone died from a shark bite in the state was in 1936 (this was a bull shark and not a great white shark). More recently, there have been more great white sightings than actual shark attacks. There have been a few incidents of great whites harassing kayaks, videos of them feeding on seals a few miles offshore, and reports of sightings via the newly launched Sharktivity app. The first notable sighting of the year was of an 11-foot great white shark on July 11 in Chatham Harbor. The shark had been previously identified as Luke by conservators. It was seen swimming close to the beach in the Gulf of Maine. Two days later, two other previously-identified sharks, Granese and Kendal, were spotted off Nauset Beach. It should be noted that it is believed that great white sharks are very smart hunters and probably are confused if they do happen to attack. The underside of a surfboard could look like a seal’s underbelly, for instance. This would prompt the shark to attack not realizing who’s on top! Furthermore, great white sharks are known for an ambush hunting style, which approaches from underneath and could add to the confusion of man and seal.
Where Do They Live?
Sharks live on all ocean beaches on the Cape Cod peninsula. However, most of the great white sightings on cape cod have been on outer cape beaches. This includes the area from Monomoy Island in Chatham, stretching all the way up to Nauset Beach in Orleans, Eastham, Truro, Wellfleet, and Provincetown. It is impossible to determine where you can find the homes of great white sharks. Cape Cod’s only region where you’re unlikely to run into these predators is in the ponds. You’re also less likely to encounter them on the beaches on the bay side and the southern side of the cape. That’s not to say that there aren’t sharks in these places. Sightings of Cape Cod great white sharks are rare there, but the fact that sharks can travel long distances in search of seals means there isn’t really any ocean beach in Cape Cod that can be deemed totally shark-free. Basically, if there are a lot of seals near any beach, the population of sharks there is likely to increase. Since seals seem to be all over the place these days, especially in the outer Cape Cod area, it means the risk of encountering great whites prowling the area is quite high. The great white shark and most of the other Cape Cod shark species that can be seen in Massachusetts only migrate to the area seasonally. Only one species, the porbeagle shark, lives on cape cod all year long. The others, including the great white shark in the warmest months of the year (usually from May to November). However, since this is the timing for increased tourist activities in the area, the risk of sightings and encounters with them is significantly high,
Conclusion
Great white shark attacks on humans are rare. Still, there are ongoing efforts to keep people safer on the beaches of Cape Cod. Experts are ramping up efforts to tag as many of these sharks as possible. Lifeguards at the beaches also alert people when there have been sightings. The Sharktivity app has also proven to be an efficient way to report and document great white sightings.
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