Oak Island, NC Sees Shark and Alligator Sightings as Summer Begins

Recently, Oak Island in Brunswick County, North Carolina, has witnessed some intriguing wildlife encounters as summer kicks off. Spanning nearly 20 square miles, this island boasts diverse wildlife and approximately 10 miles of beachfront along the Atlantic Ocean.

As the waters along Oak Island's beachfront begin to warm up, a shark was incidentally ensnared in the surf just last week. This occurrence is not unusual, as the 12-mile long island frequently sees sharks in its waters. One chartered service even takes visitors out onto the ocean for shark-catching expeditions. The shark incident involved an 8-foot lemon shark, a species typically not aggressive towards humans. The fisherman who inadvertently caught the shark had a brief struggle before successfully releasing it back into the ocean.

Rare Alligator Encounter

Adding to the island's unexpected wildlife encounters, over Memorial Day, a rare sighting of a baby alligator was captured on video at the Oak Island pier. The footage, recorded by Mary Frances Barnes Rodriguez, shows the baby gator leisurely swimming and floating in the clear shallow water.

Shark Warnings

Oak Island has previously issued warnings regarding shark presence and utilizes a purple flag system on its beaches to alert visitors about potential sea creature threats. These warnings come in the wake of recent shark-related incidents on the North Carolina coast. Just north of Wilmington in Onslow County, a 14-year-old boy was bitten by a shark, and there was an initial report of a "shark bite" at Sunset Beach near the South Carolina border. Although police later stated that a man had been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after being bitten by a sea creature, it could not be confirmed if the animal was indeed a shark.

As summer unfolds at Oak Island, the island's rich ecosystem continues to provide unexpected and captivating wildlife encounters for residents and visitors alike.