A courageous mother rescued a shark in distress that she found struggling on a shoreline. Colleen Dunn noticed the salmon shark gasping for air during low tide and, despite feeling anxious, took hold of its tail to guide it back into deeper waters. Walking her dogs at Nehalem Bay State Park in Oregon at the time, Colleen’s pets patiently waited while she assisted the shark.
Determined not to let the shark perish, a passionate animal lover, Colleen, overcame her fears and carefully lifted the creature, even capturing the rescue on her mobile phone. Colleen, relieved to see the salmon shark swim away safely, expressed her initial nervousness about touching it, considering her responsibilities as a mother of three children.
Colleen’s apprehensions were heightened by the recent global news of a fatal shark attack on a 40-year-old man off the coast of Israel by a previously perceived harmless shark species. However, driven by her love for nature, Colleen set aside her concerns to ensure the shark’s survival, reasoning that it needed to reach the water to live.
Colleen emphasized her proactive approach to wildlife encounters, citing her habit of moving creatures off hiking trails to prevent harm. Thanks to Colleen’s intervention, the shark regained its strength and swam back to the ocean within ten minutes. Salmon sharks are known for their ability to regulate body temperature in cold waters, although young sharks can struggle with temperature changes, leading to potential risks of cold shock.
Initially mistaking the shark for a baby great white due to their similar size, Colleen learned that small salmon sharks can grow up to at least 10 feet in length and weigh up to 992 pounds. Taylor Chapple, an associate professor at Oregon State University, explained that stranded sharks often face challenges in surviving once they reach the shore.
The incident in Israel involved a tragic death when a man swimming and filming near the shore in Hadera was attacked by dusky sharks. Witnesses reported seeing a shark approach the man’s GoPro camera before he cried out for help as he was bitten.
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