Scarborough Police Warn About Possible Great White Shark Sighting

The Scarborough Police Department put out a warning on the morning of August 12 that there was a potential sighting of a great white shark off the Scarborough coast.

Jaws

This scene from the 1975 Stephen Spielberg movie has gone down as one of the biggest jump scares in movie history. Chief Brody, played by Roy Scheider, is chumming the water to attract the great white when suddenly it appears, causing Brody to jump back, eyes wide, and then calmly saying to Quint, "You're going to need a bigger boat."

I've watched this movie dozens of times, and it never gets old. Although the mechanical shark is a bit dated after 50 years.

How Dangerous Are Great Whites?

According to Wikipedia, great whites are not the man-eaters that we seem to think they are. Most great whites want nothing to do with humans, and any attacks on humans are usually by mistaken identity, confusing a human with their preferred meal, seals. Attacks on humans are rare, with fewer than 10 a year, worldwide.

Erring on the Side of Caution

According to WMTW, Scarborough Police said on Monday, August 11, that the town's marine resource officer received a report of what appeared to be a large shark near Richmond Island and Scarborough Beach.

On Tuesday, August 12, a drone video captured what was possibly a great white shark estimated to be 10 to 12 feet long off Richmond Island near Higgins Beach and Scarborough Beach.

READ MORE: 8 Types of Sharks Mainers Could See in the Water

The beaches are still open, but Scarborough Police just wanted to let everyone be aware of what's going on and if any new updates on the possible shark sighting come down, they will be sure to share with he public.