18 July 2023 , 14:28
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Shocking footage shows a shark feasting on a seal in the shallow waters near a beach as the waters turn red from the blood.
The video was filmed from a boat off the shore of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
It comes amid a spike in shark activity over the past few weeks with swimming restrictions brought in out of fear someone could be attacked.
In the video, filmed by resident Nick Gault, the carcass of the seal washes up on the shore before birds start pecking at it.
This is just the latest video of sharks in the area to be filmed by locals.
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"Those videos are pretty troubling and no human could survive that, we know that," Diane Lang, Trustees of Reservations stewardship manager on Nantucket, told the Nantucket Current.
The churning waters as the shark caught its prey (xxxxxxxxx WS)She added: "The policy is in place now. We're telling our visitors no swimming at Great Point."
"I was in touch with US Fish & Wildlife and they're in full agreement," Ms Lang stressed, adding that the policy is new but "needed."
The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and non-profit Trustees of the Reservation were forced to issue the ban near Great Point and Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge until further notice.
The shark fin clearly visible in the water (xxxxxxxxx WS)Trustees of the Reservation Managing Director Sarah Cassell said: "After several shark sightings and predation in the area, we've decided to implement a swimming closure around Great Point until further notice. This is not a decision we've made lightly.
"Visitors' safety is our utmost concern, especially given the remote location of this beach should a serious incident occur. We'll continue to monitor shark activity in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."
The sharks prowl (xxxxxxxxx WS)FWS spokesperson David Eisenhauer said the notice would be in place indefinitely, but other areas of the refuge will be open for recreational use.
"As such, there is currently no projected timeline as to how long the prohibition on swimming may last," Eisenhauer said. "This is the first closure of the season due to shark activity and we, along with the Trustees, feel it is the best option to ensure the safety of all visitors."
Officials remain alarmed despite the seals vacating the area as experts believe they may come back.
Multiple sharks have been spotted off the coast of NE US (Getty Images/Image Source)"Dozens to hundreds" of great whites are expected to be seen in the area this year according to one of Massachusetts' leading shark experts, Dr Greg Skomal.
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He told CBS : "I anticipate that dozens to hundreds of white sharks will move into Massachusetts waters over the course of that period. They will not be here at the same time, but they will move through this area."
Birds pick at the carcass on the shore while the shark swims in bloody waters (xxxxxxxxx WS)Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say climate change has forced some shark populations to migrate farther north earlier in the year. as ocean temperatures rise close to the equator.
This means sharks not only arrive earlier but spend more time in the northern latitudes as the ocean warms.