Kate Fleming was heading out to watch the sunset on Hornby Island Saturday (April 29) when she was told there was a shark a little ways up the beach.

Fleming, who was visiting Hornby and had never seen a shark before, jumped at the opportunity.

The shark had washed up dead on the shore just north of PhippB次元官网网址檚 Point.

Since then, members of Facebook group Field Naturalists of Vancouver Island identified the shark as a bluntnosed sixgill shark, and also speculated it might have been pregnant.

B次元官网网址淚t is a large shark, but considered to be lethargic and really a non-aggressive shark, so nothing to be scared of,B次元官网网址� explained Dr. Jackie King, the research scientist in charge of sharks with the the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Bluntnosed sixgill sharks are just one of 14 shark species that can be found along B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coast.

While they can be found worldwide, King said adult sixgill sharks can be found in the deep waters off the west coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii.

WhatB次元官网网址檚 unique, King said, is that pregnant bluntnosed sixgill sharks will come into areas such as the Strait of Georgia, some deepwater inlets of the west coast of Vancouver Island and Puget Sound to the south of B.C. to give birth. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why it can be common to find juvenile sharks in the area.

She said Hornby Island is a well known area to see juvenile sixgill sharks. The DFO isnB次元官网网址檛 going to be investigating the sharkB次元官网网址檚 cause of death.

B次元官网网址淪harks are fish, and periodically, they do wash up on shore,B次元官网网址� explained King, noting that from the photos sheB次元官网网址檚 seen the shark is either a juvenile that was ready to leave the area or a pregnant shark.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not common, but itB次元官网网址檚 also not uncommon to have found a pregnant female washed up on shore. Part of which could be interaction with something (or it) could have been stressful trying to give birth.B次元官网网址�

If people on B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coast do find sharks, dead or alive, theyB次元官网网址檙e asked to report it to the .

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

lauren.collins@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .