28-foot shark found dead on Rhode Island beach

WAVERLY, R.I., April 29 (UPI) -- A 28-foot shark that apparently died of natural causes washed up on a Rhode Island beach Sunday afternoon, wildlife officials said.

Identified as a basking shark, the creature is commonly found in the Atlantic ocean from Canada to Florida. It is a filter feeder that poses no threat to humans, said Laura Wandel, supervisor of fish and invertebrates at Mystic Aquarium.

A person walking along Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, R.I., spotted the shark and called authorities to report the discovery, the Hartford (Conn.) Courant reported.