Watch: Great white shark might be first filmed in Rhode Island
Marine researchers in Rhode Island captured video of what may be the first great white shark ever filmed in the state's waters. If you want to watch great white shark footage from the encounter, the Atlantic Shark Institute shared the clip after teams found an eight-foot shark feeding on a whale carcass off Block Island.
The July 7 report from UPI highlights a rare wildlife moment off the New England coast. Researchers were not hunting sharks when they set out; they were trying to document a humpback whale carcass that had been spotted offshore.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers filmed an estimated eight-foot great white shark feeding on a humpback whale carcass near Block Island.
- The Atlantic Shark Institute said the footage might be Rhode Island's first great white shark caught on camera in state waters.
- Executive Director Jon Dodd and Mystic Aquarium's Sarah Callan located the carcass after searching nearly 50 square miles.
- The institute described the shark as healthy, well fed, and alone at the carcass during the visit.
What happened off the Rhode Island coast?
According to UPI, marine researchers in Rhode Island captured video of what might be the first great white shark ever caught on camera in the state's waters. The Atlantic Shark Institute announced the find on social media, framing it as a potentially historic documentation moment for local science.
The institute said Executive Director Jon Dodd and Sarah Callan, manager of animal rescue for the Mystic Aquarium, were recently on the water trying to locate a humpback whale carcass that had been spotted off the coast. That search set the stage for the shark encounter.
Why were researchers searching near Block Island?
The team was not out looking for sharks at the start. UPI reported that Dodd and Callan were attempting to find the whale carcass after it was seen offshore. They covered nearly 50 square miles before locating the remains a few miles off Block Island.
Once they reached the site, the researchers found more than a dead whale. A great white shark was actively feeding on the carcass, giving the team a close look at the animal in Rhode Island waters.
What did the Atlantic Shark Institute say about the shark?
In its social media post, the institute quoted the moment directly: "As luck would have it, this great white was found feeding on it." The organization estimated the shark at about eight feet long and described it as healthy and well fed.
The post also noted the shark appeared to have the whale to itself while researchers were there. The institute cautiously added that the encounter "just might be a first in [Rhode Island] waters."
Why does on-camera proof matter for shark science?
Video evidence gives researchers a verifiable record of what they saw on the water. In this case, the footage is tied to a whale carcass, showing the shark feeding rather than simply passing through the area.
For more offbeat animal encounters from around the country, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also maintains public information on white shark biology and conservation status.
UPI published the story on July 7, 2026, crediting reporter Ben Hooper. Until additional records surface, the Atlantic Shark Institute's footage remains the headline claim: Rhode Island may finally have its first great white shark on camera.