Couple's Chance Discovery of Rare Porbeagle Shark on Caithness Coast

On October 18th, 2025, a couple from Papigoe, Caithness, made an unexpected discovery during their daily morning walk. Annemarie Simpson and her partner Kev Stewart stumbled upon the body of a nearly 2-meter-long shark washed up on the rocky shoreline near Wick.

The couple quickly identified the shark as a porbeagle, a species known to inhabit UK waters but rarely seen onshore. Porbeagles are closely related to the great white shark and are listed as an internationally vulnerable species, preying on mackerel, herring, and squid.

While Ms. Simpson expressed excitement over the rare find, she noted that she much prefers seeing these sharks alive in their natural habitat. The couple's discovery has sparked speculation about the cause of the shark's death, with some suggesting it may have been a casualty of the recent Storm Amy that battered Scotland earlier this month, or potentially injured in an attack by dolphins.

Caithness is no stranger to unusual marine life sightings, with the couple reporting that it is not uncommon to find porpoises or Risso's dolphins washed ashore. However, a beached porbeagle shark is a much rarer occurrence, highlighting the significance of this unexpected find.