Massive Shark Washes Up on Popular Massachusetts Beach

Massachusetts is a fantastic place to live and visit. From picturesque Cape Cod beaches to the iconic Boston skyline and west to the beautiful mountains of the Berkshires, Massachusetts truly has something for everyone.

While Massachusetts is one of the most populated states in the U.S. it also sees a significant amount of tourists and visitors annually. According to visitma.com, Massachusetts sees around 26.2 million domestic visitors, and 2.4 million international visitors annually.

The beach is one of the most popular places to visit in Massachusetts, especially during the summer months. Massachusetts has over 1,500 miles of coastline, which includes beaches, rocky shores, salt marshes, dunes, ports and harbors. While Cape Cod tends to be the most popular area for beachgoers, there are also some great spots to grab some sun on the North and South shores of the state.

One of the most popular places on the South Shore is the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts located about 35 miles south of Boston. The coastal town is one of the most sought after places for residents and visitors alike.

The only downfall to a great Massachusetts beach day this time of year is a fear of sharks. Great White spottings have ticked up in recent weeks off the coast of Massachusetts and Maine. Recently, visitors to Duxbury Beach got up close and personal with a different kind of shark, the Thresher shark.

Shark Washes Up on Shore of Popular Massachusetts Beach

Yesterday morning, Duxbury Beach Operations discovered the body of a Thresher Shark washed up on shore. The shark was about 13 feet in length

Duxbury Beach Operations shared photos of the discovery, describing the shark as about 13 feet in length, which is three feet larger than the average size for a male Thresher shark.

State authorities were called to the beach to remove the shark for additional examination.

While Thresher Sharks certainly don't look friendly, research shows they are not aggressive towards humans. The species is shy and difficult to approach and once encountered, divers report the species show no aggression towards people.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.