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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE shark researchers confirm great white bite marks on whale off Maine coast

Professor of marine sciences James Sulikowski
Professor of marine sciences James Sulikowski

University of New England professor of Marine Science James Sulikowski has confirmed bite marks found on a dead whale off the Maine coast are from a great white shark. Sulikowski beleives the bites happened after the whale was already dead.

A commercial fisherman alerted Sulikowski to the whale after finding it floating about 5 miles off the coast of Old Orchard Beach. The area is approximately 3 miles from where Sulikowski recently deployed underwater cameras with bait in the hopes of catching a great white on camera. 

The story was picked up by the Portland Press Herald, Bangor Daily News, Sun Journal, Charlotte Observer, Fosters, U.S. News and World Report, Maine Public, WCSH, WGME and WMTW.

Sulikowski and his students measured the bite at 18 inches across, and estimate the shark is 12-14 feet long.

 

UNE researchers confirm bite marks on whale are from a great white shark
UNE researchers confirm bite marks on whale are from a great white shark

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.