WASHINGTON — The beach at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland was evacuated Monday as a precaution after a park ranger thought he saw a bull shark in the water.
The ranger also saw some cownose rays, which are often mistaken for sharks.
While bull sharks are often described as one of the more aggressive sharks, Carrie Kennedy with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service says seeing them in the Bay isn’t unusual. Swimmers shouldn’t panic.
“Like most things, they’re probably going to be as concerned about you being there as you are about them. So as long as you leave it alone and get out of their way, you should be fine,” she says.
Kennedy says there aren’t any records of anyone being bitten by a shark in Maryland.
In the summer of 2013, two 8-feet long bull sharks were caught near Point Lookout in Southern Maryland.
According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, there are 12 shark species in the Bay. While their interaction with humans is rare, it’s still wise to be cautious.
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