Rare 6ft shark washes up on UK beach - later has head and tail cut off by trophy hunters

[Still Waters]

An 'extremely rare' 6ft shark has washed up on the beach at Lepe in Hampshire, following several sightings in the Solent.

The animal, identified by marine biologists as a smalltooth sand tiger shark, was first spotted in distress in the Solent on Friday afternoon.

Mum-of-two Alisha Openshaw from Beaulieu reported wading into the sea to help push the shark into deeper water after finding it struggling.

But sadly, the body of the shark was found on Lepe beach the following morning

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-03-19/extremely-rare-6ft-shark-washes-up-on-beach-close-to-thor-the-walrus-sighting

Conservationists' fury as 'extremely rare' shark's head butchered and stolen from Lepe beach

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-03-19/fury-as-extremely-rare-sharks-head-butchered-and-stolen-from-beach

[Still Waters]

A plea has been made to return the head of a rare shark so it can be analysed.

Broadcaster and historian Dan Snow told BBC Breakfast: "People can keep it but if they can just let the scientists have a good look at it first."

The Shark Trust said the head "holds the key to unlocking intricate details of the shark's life".

Mr Snow said it was a "once-in-a-lifetime" discovery of an "incredibly valuable" shark.

"Scientists say that no shark of this species, of this scale - it's well over two metres long - has ever washed up on UK shores before," he added.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-65013372