North Carolina Shark Stranding Network

Sharks play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems along North Carolina’s coast, and each stranding offers a unique opportunity to learn more about these remarkable animals. The North Carolina Shark Stranding Network connects scientists, volunteers, and coastal communities to document and study shark strandings.

When a stranded shark is reported, our team records details such as the species, size, sex, location, and environmental conditions, along with potential causes of death. This information is added to a comprehensive database that helps identify patterns in strandings, such as seasonal trends, species distributions, and links to changing ocean conditions or human activity.

By combining community observations with scientific analysis, the network transforms each report into valuable data that supports shark conservation, ecosystem research, and a better understanding of North Carolina’s marine environment.

We rely on coastal communities in North Carolina to report shark strandings to our network. If you see a stranded shark on the beach, please contact us immediately.

Call the Shark Stranding Hotline at (252) 216-2810 or email at strandings@ncsharks.org.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Shark Stranding Volunteer Team, please email us at volunteer@ncsharks.org.