A 15-year-old named Finn Holland, who has a passion for animals, took action when he discovered a shark stranded on the shore near his residence in Maces Bay, a coastal community in southern New Brunswick.
Over the weekend, Holland and his family drove their utility vehicle down their extensive driveway to the beach at Maces Bay, located southwest of Saint John.
Upon seeing the shark, Holland initially thought it was severely injured or possibly dead but noticed slight movements.
He decided to assist the shark by pulling it by the tail into the ocean and helping guide it back to the water, where it eventually swam away.
Holland expressed his initial hesitation to touch the shark due to its size, approximately two meters long and weighing about 70 kilograms. The species of the shark has since been identified as a porbeagle.
“I was in awe; it was truly fascinating,” Holland remarked.
Jill Holland, Finn’s mother, stated that she was not surprised by her son’s actions, as it aligns with his character to help without hesitation.
She shared, “It’s exactly the sort of thing that he would do, just not even ask, just you know what, I gotta go, I gotta go save a shark, see ya.”
“He just kind of took it upon himself, and I was so nervous.”
Jill mentioned that despite living in the area for 11 years, they had never heard of sharks being present in the vicinity.
According to a shark expert, such sightings are uncommon.
‘Rare’ encounter, expert says
Neil Hammerschlag, the director of the Shark Research Foundation and president of Atlantic Shark Expeditions, highlighted the rarity of such encounters in their natural habitat without human intervention like fishing or capture.
“I believe that spotting this species is quite unique and special,” he added.
Hammerschlag explained that unlike most sharks, porbeagles can regulate their body temperature, enabling them to access cooler waters in Atlantic Canada and the New England region.
However, he expressed surprise at the shark’s presence in shallow waters, suggesting it may have been distressed or had an encounter with fishing gear before being released.
“Possibly sick or entangled, which might explain its unusual behavior,” he speculated.
He also noted that the declining population of porbeagle sharks over the years is mainly due to overfishing.