Basking Shark Spotted Off Hampton Beach

This week at the Oceanarium several people asked about a strange animal they saw off Hampton Beach.

They weren’t sure if it was a whale or a shark.

After a little discussion, it was determined that what they saw was probably a basking shark.

A few fishermen reported a 25-foot basking shark cruising back and forth feeding this week.

This time of year, the sharks can be spotted ‘basking in the sun’ on the water surface along the coast, where plankton blooms.

Their fins look a lot like great white fins, and due to their extreme size, they can be mistaken for a great white.