Sightseers stumble onto 2 dead sharks at North Carolina beaches, researchers say

Two dead sharks were found stranded on North Carolina beaches during Spring Break, and researchers aren’t sure what killed them.

Both were discovered the first week of April: One on Topsail Island and the other on the Outer Banks, the N.C. Shark Conservancy reports.

“The species were a sandbar and a sand tiger,” according to Paige Finney of the conservancy. “There is evidence of human interaction with the sandbar shark, but cause of death is unknown for the sand tiger. We are working to better understand what role natural death and disease plays into the sharks that strand on our beaches.”

Sandbar and sand tiger sharks are native to North Carolina, and live year round in coastal waters, N.C. State University’s Coastwatch reports.

“Sandbar sharks are among the most common large sharks in North Carolina waters, and can reach lengths of 8 feet. The population has severely declined from overfishing, but there is some evidence that sandbar sharks are starting to recover,” the university says.

Sand tiger sharks grow to 12 feet and are often found around shipwrecks, experts say. They are “docile around humans,” the university says.

The nonprofit N.C. Shark Conservancy was launched in 2025 to advance shark research “and protect the state’s marine ecosystems.” It relies on beachgoers to locate stranded sharks, and is creating volunteer teams to “mobilize and collect additional data” from the carcasses. (Eight people reported the two sharks found last week, the conservancy says.)

“At this time, we are in the process of working with various towns and municipalities to determine the best way to handle deceased sharks reported to us,” the conservancy says.

“Friendly reminder to please not physically interact with any sharks that wash up on the beach, as many of the sharks being reported are protected species. Interacting with a protected species (even dead!) is illegal.”

Stranded sharks can be reported at 252-216-2810.

This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 6:45 AM with the headline "Sightseers stumble onto 2 dead sharks at North Carolina beaches, researchers say."