In Photos: Great White Shark Washes Up on Santa Cruz Beach

Shark beach

Great White Shark Santa Cruz Beach — (Image credit: Ashley Kern)

Close-up

The shark was estimated to be around 500 lbs. (225 kilograms).

A formidable beast

The shark appeared to be healthy when it died, but there were a few scratches around its face. It's unclear if those scratches had anything to do with the shark's death.

Out of the waves

Beachgoers helped roll the shark up the beach.

Teamwork

It took several people to move the massive animal.

Standing in awe

The dead shark drew a crowd on the beach. It's rare for great white sharks to wash ashore.

Beach brawl

A conflict erupted among beachgoers who wanted to take the shark. Ultimately, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife retrieved the shark and performed a necropsy earlier this week.

New encounters

A dog named Ramona checks out the great white shark.

Fearless friend

Great white sharks are fierce predators, but Ramona (the dog) doesn't seem afraid.

[Read more about the great white shark]

Kimberly has a bachelor's degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University, a master's degree in biology from Southeastern Louisiana University and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a former reference editor for Live Science and Space.com. Her work has appeared in Inside Science, News from Science, the San Jose Mercury and others. Her favorite stories include those about animals and obscurities. A Texas native, Kim now lives in a California redwood forest.