A string of attacks on marine life along the New York coastline has sparked fears of a mutant shark, but tests have revealed the creature was merely a pregnant Mako shark.
Attacks on Marine Life
Incidents around Montauk at the east end of Long Island include a humpback whale found with a 24-inch wound, a 400lb tuna ravaged in the ocean, and a grey seal suffering from a huge bite mark. These events fueled theories that a 12-foot-long Mako shark, dubbed Sharkzilla, could be responsible.
The attacks were highlighted in the Discovery Channel show Sharkzilla Takes New York, which aired in the US over the weekend. Local shark scientist Craig O'Connell suggested it could herald the return of sharks to the region.
Nuclear Waste Theory
O'Connell also raised the possibility that the wildlife could have fallen victim to leaking barrels of nuclear waste stored in an underwater canyon for decades. 'In the late 1960s, they dumped 15,000 barrels of nuclear waste in the Hudson Canyon,' O'Connell said. 'Ten years later, they went out to check on these barrels, and they were all leaking.'
He added: 'Radioactive leaks could be impacting wildlife, even top predators. If animals are subjected to nuclear waste, this could cause genetic mutations and abnormal growth. If this predator is genetically altered, it could be faster, stronger and deadlier than any predator on earth. We are calling it Sharkzilla.'
Search and Investigation
The show follows O'Connell as he searches for the shark to tag it and collect samples for radioactive testing. His team headed towards the underwater canyon to lure sharks and gather tissue samples. After six hours of using a 'baited' camera, they attracted several sharks, including a great white and two female Makos, but these quickly swam away, raising fears they had been scared off by something else.
The team used other methods, including a decoy dolphin fitted with a piece of tuna and a 'blubber blaster' designed to imitate the remains of a dead whale. Ultimately, 'Sharkzilla' appeared, and O'Connell and his crew managed to get close enough to collect the tissue samples they needed.
Conclusion: No Mutant, Just a Pregnant Mako
After collecting the samples, O'Connell and his team found no evidence to prove that radioactive sharks were causing chaos. Sharkzilla was simply a pregnant female Mako seeking food sources for her young pups.
However, it does prove that sharks could be returning to Montauk, an area once famous for these creatures before overfishing devastated their numbers. 'In the past, this is the place you came to catch monster sharks. There are so many records right here off the shores of Montauk,' O'Connell explained. 'All these monster sharks were completely fished out. They're gone. But all the evidence we are seeing is telling me that all these big sharks might be back.'
Known as the world's fastest shark, the Mako can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh as much as 1,250lb (567kg). Their speed allows them to hunt fish like mackerel and tuna as well as other marine life.
While they might look and sound terrifying, the chances of humans coming into contact with them are comparatively rare, since Mako sharks tend to live in deep, open water zones rather than close to public beaches. According to data from the International Shark Attack File, there are just 10 recorded attacks on humans by Mako sharks between 1980 and 2024, of which three proved fatal. PETA states on its website that the chances of a human being killed by any type of shark are around 1 in 3.7 million.
