Watch: 20-foot shark spotted in Rhode Island pond, leaving onlookers stunned

20-foot basking shark makes unexpected visit to Rhode Island pond

A 20-foot shark sighting in Block Island's Great Salt Pond on Memorial Day, may 26, 2025, has been identified as a harmless basking shark that likely made a navigational error.

BLOCK ISLAND, R.I. – A 20-foot shark sighting in a New England pond sent ripples of panic and excitement across the popular summer tourist destination on Memorial Day.

Many initially believed a massive great white shark had ventured into the calm waters of the Great Salt Pond on Block Island, Rhode Island. However, marine experts have since identified the behemoth as a much less menacing, albeit still enormous, basking shark weighing thousands of pounds.

The incident, which occurred on Monday, quickly went viral online after local diner Jen Seebeck captured a video showing the shark's enormous fin surfacing outside Dead Eye Dicks.

NANTUCKET BEACHGOERS RISK LIVES TO GIVE STRANDED SHARK SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE: 'I FELT HELPLESS'

A 20-foot shark sighting in Block Island's Great Salt Pond on Memorial Day has been identified as a harmless basking shark that likely made a navigational error.

(Jen Seebeck via Atlantic Shark Institute)

"The phone lit up, and then our website lit up," Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, said in an interview with FOX Weather.

The video quickly garnered over 12 million views, fueling immediate comparisons to the iconic film Jaws, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

GREAT WHITE SHARK ENCOUNTERS ARE INCREASING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

While a basking shark's dorsal fin and coloration can resemble a great white, particularly to an untrained eye, Dodd said these particular species are filter feeders and pose no threat to humans. 

"They look very intimidating," Dodd explained, but knowing what to look for, you can quickly tell it's not a white shark. 

Basking sharks, which prefer cooler temperatures, regularly appear in Rhode Island waters at this time of year. 

"This is a shark that we will see fairly consistently," Dodd said. "They're considered vulnerable according to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), and in many parts of the world, they're considered endangered."

The Block Island pond incident appears to have been a simple navigational error by the colossal creature. 

"This guy just made a mistake," Dodd speculated. "He must've been cruising up the west side of Block Island … and said, 'Hey, let me explore what's going on in this pond.' And found himself in the wrong place." 

SEE IT: MASSIVE MEGALODON TOOTH FOUND BY DIVER OFF FLORIDA COAST

The basking shark up close.

(HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The shark is believed to have been in the pond for about a day before likely slipping out at night when boat traffic subsided.

The sighting is, in fact, a positive sign for marine conservationists, Dodd said.

"It's a good sign," he emphasized, highlighting the health and activity of these sharks near the surface.