Orleans Police Respond After Great White Washes Up on Cape Cod Beach

ORLEANS (WBSM) — A great white shark washed up on a Cape Cod beach and had to be removed by a local tow truck service.

Orleans Police posted photos of the shark to the department Facebook page, calling it “not one of our typical calls for service.”

“But, as always, we answered the call,” police wrote.

Police said the “giant” shark was found washed up on the beach, so they called Nauset Recovery owner Dennis Reed to come and tow it away.

The shark was placed on the back of a flatbed truck and hauled away from the beach. Photos posted by police show that the shark was injured and bloodied somehow, but police did not indicate what may have happened.

WBSM reached out to Orleans Police for more information but have not heard back as of this writing.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy shared the police Facebook post on its own page, stating, “A white shark was found washed up off of the town of Orleans, MA. A necropsy will be performed to learn more. At this point, we do not know if it was a tagged or previously identified individual.”

READ MORE: Cape Cod Beaches Not Yet Clear of Summer Sharks

Over 60 sharks were detected or observed off the Cape in late August 2024. They can remain in the waters off Cape Cod before heading south for the winter, usually at the end of October.