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A 2m-long shark that washed up on a Dunedin beach is not often seen in waters near there, the Department of Conservation says.
DoC marine scientist Clinton Duffy said the adult male porbeagle shark - a close relative of great white and mako sharks - washed up on a beach between Waldronville and Ocean View this week.
The species was commonly found off New Zealand coastlines, but it preferred to hunt in deeper waters.
Porbeagles often got caught in the council’s shark nets until they were removed in 2011.
A common by-catch from trawling and long-line fishing, they posed no danger to swimmers, Duffy said.
Unlike porbeagles, short-finned mako were potentially dangerous and should be avoided.
Porbeagles can be distinguished by a large white blotch on their first dorsal, and they are generally stockier, with a more sharply pointed snout than the mako or great white.
“Anyone finding a shark washed ashore like this should take a photograph of it from side-on, showing the entire animal, including the fins, and one showing the detail of the teeth and send these to sharks@doc.govt.nz.
“Even if it is not a protected species, the biology of many of our sharks and rays is poorly known and every observation helps build a better picture of their distribution.
“Anyone accidentally catching a protected species or finding one on a beach should call the DoC hotline 0800 DOCHOT immediately.
“It is not an offence to accidentally catch a protected species but it is an offence not to report it,” Duffy said.
Mako sharks - which look similar to porbeagles - can be dangerous.
