Great white shark dies on Cape Cod beach after being stranded

ORLEANS, Mass. – Officials say a great white shark has died after it was spotted struggling in shallow water in Cape Cod.

Cynthia Wigren is the executive director of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. She tells the Cape Cod Times that a man had spotted the 12-foot-long shark on Sunday while walking on Nauset Beach in Orleans.

Wigren says the shark had died by the time officials responded to the area. She says the male shark hadn't been tagged. Researchers estimate it was over 20 years old.

State shark scientist Gregory Skomal will conduct a necropsy on Monday.

Wigren says the incident marks the year's first shark stranding on Cape Cod. Three sharks were stranded last year.

She says great white sharks usually begin migrating south in November.