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Researchers caution beachgoers ahead of white shark season

Great White Sharks Massachusetts
Posted at 5:50 PM, Jun 29, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-29 17:50:12-04

BOSTON (AP) — Great white shark researchers on Cape Cod are reminding visitors that warmer weather signals not just the start of the busy tourist season but also the arrival of the region's famous predators.

Megan Winton of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said Wednesday that July is when white sharks appear in earnest.

Sightings peak from August through October.

Marine biologist Greg Skomal says they tend to be concentrated on the Atlantic Ocean-facing side of the cape.

That's where they feast on a flourishing seal population.

A great white shark sighting this week forced the temporary closure of a beach.

The two researchers have studied the migration of white sharks for years, which has helped local officials and tourists improve safety measures, including when the animals appear and when they are the most active.

The behavior of beachgoers has also improved since two people were attacked in the region, Skomal said, including swimmers staying closer to shore or some not going into the waters.