Blue shark strands in South Mainland
A rare shark washed up at a beach in the South Mainland today.
Joy Peacock came across the stranded shark at St Ninian’s Beach this afternoon and it was later identified as a blue shark.
These sharks are considered rare in Shetland. They live in the open ocean, preferring temperate and tropical waters around the world.
Most of the UK’s blue sharks are found off the southwest coast of England, particularly in waters around Cornwall during the summer months.
While the shark was alive when it was discovered, NatureScot marine sustainability manager Karen Hall confirmed it was in a poor condition and was unlikely to survive.
Shetland Wildlife later said on its Facebook page an attempt to refloat the shark had “failed” while the current status of the species in Shetland waters is “unclear and poorly known”.
However, they added it was “certainly the first we have ever seen here”.
Mrs Peacock described the shark as a “beautiful creature” which had suffered a “sad end”.
Female blue sharks are larger than their male counterparts and can grow to be and on average they grow to be between 7.2 and 10.8 feet long.
A single female can give birth to a large litter of live young after a 9-12 month gestation period. Litters can range from as little as four pups to as many as 130 - though 25-35 pups is considered the average.
Most shark species are solitary, but blue sharks are social animals who are often found in groups called "shivers". These shivers are typically segregated by size and gender.
Their diet mainly consists of squid and small fish such as herring and mackerel. However, the species are opportunistic feeders who are also known to consume other sharks, seabirds and the carcasses of turtles and whales.