Karmactive Staff
A massive 20-foot basking shark spotted in Block Island’s Great Salt Pond over Memorial Day weekend sparked both fear and fascination among onlookers. The shark’s large dorsal fin cutting through the water immediately drew comparisons to the movie “Jaws,” which coincidentally celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Local resident Jen Seebeck captured video of the enormous creature from Dead Eye Dick’s restaurant, with someone heard exclaiming, “There’s a shark in the pond!” The footage quickly went viral, garnering over 12 million views online.
“The phone lit up, and then our website lit up,” said Jon Dodd, Executive Director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, who helped identify the marine visitor.
Despite initial alarm, experts confirmed this wasn’t the predatory great white from “Jaws” fame but rather a harmless basking shark. These gentle giants are filter-feeders that strain plankton from the water and pose no threat to humans.
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“They look very intimidating,” Dodd explained, “but knowing what to look for, you can quickly tell it’s not a white shark.” Basking sharks have more rounded dorsal fins compared to the pointed fins of great whites.
The basking shark’s presence in a relatively enclosed pond surprised many, but Dodd believes it was simply a navigational error. “This guy just made a mistake,” he said. “He must’ve been cruising up the west side of Block Island… and said, ‘Hey, let me explore what’s going on in this pond.’ And found himself in the wrong place.”
The shark likely remained in the pond for about a day before slipping back out to open water overnight when boat traffic quieted down.
As the second-largest fish species in the world, basking sharks can grow up to 40 feet long and weigh several tons. Despite their impressive size, they feed exclusively on microscopic plankton, swimming with their mouths wide open to filter their tiny prey from the water.
The sighting marks what Dodd calls the beginning of the “2025 summer shark season” for Rhode Island waters. As ocean temperatures rise, more shark species are migrating to New England coastal areas.
Conservation experts note that seeing these magnificent creatures is actually a positive sign for marine ecosystems. Basking sharks are considered vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and in many parts of the world, they’re considered endangered.
“It’s a good sign,” Dodd emphasized, noting that the active presence of these sharks near the surface indicates healthy waters with abundant plankton populations.
For beachgoers and boaters encountering marine wildlife this summer, experts recommend maintaining a safe distance, avoiding direct interaction, and reporting sightings to local marine authorities or conservation organizations.
