Great white shark spotted lurking near Maine’s coastline

Police in Scarborough, Maine, are warning people about a great white shark that was spotted multiple times this week lurking near the coastline.

The city’s Marine Resource Officer first received reports of shark sightings near Richmond Island and Scarborough Beach on Monday.

David Lancaster shot this drone video of the shark swimming near Richmond Island about 10 a.m. Monday.

The drone was able to get very close to the surface of the water, where the shark could be seen clearly, with its trademark dorsal fin breaking the plane of the ocean.

Police estimate the great white to be 10-12 feet long.

Authorities said it was subsequently spotted Tuesday morning near the vicinity of Higgins Beach and Scarborough Beach.

Police said they will provide additional updates and are encouraging people to be aware of the shark’s presence.

According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, there were 47 confirmed incidents of unprovoked shark bites in 2024 with 28 of those happening at U.S. beaches.

The university said the risk of being bitten by a shark remains extremely low.

Great white sharks can grow up to about 20 feet long and weigh more than 4,000 pounds, according to the NOAA.

According to the agency, there are nursery areas for juvenile great white sharks in the waters off southern California and off Long Island, New York.