Blue shark washes up on Scotland beach

A blue shark has been found washed up on a beach in Scotland.

A dog walker came across the remains on a Fife beach. It is an unusual find as this species of shark is usually found in deep water.

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The Courier reports that the shark was around five feet long and was discovered on Tentsmuir Beach.

Blue sharks are rarely found near shorelines and inhabit deep water in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas across the world.

Dr Andrew Brownlow, from the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, told the Courier that scientist would try to recover the body to find out more about what happened.

He said it is possible the shark was alive when it swam onto the beach, or other possibilities are that it was ill or injured.

Fife Zoo recently posted a small information graphic about blue sharks on its Facebook page, which said that 15 to 20 million of them are killed by humans each year.

They are listed as 'near threatened' on the IUCN Red List.

Blue sharks are generally not aggressive to humans, but can attack if they feel threatened.

Dr Brownlow added: "The key message is that sharks have much more to fear from humans than the other way around, and you certainly don't have Jaws in the Tay!"