Is there a connection between shark bite reports and buried sperm whale?

HILTON HEAD, SC. (WTOC) - After shark bite reports back in June, we heard from many of you who wondered if it could be connected to another marine life incident that happened on Hilton Head Island.

See previous coverage:

WTOC has been working to figure out an answer to your questions.

It’s a big question that we took to experts.

Could the recent shark bites on Hilton Head Island be connected to the sperm whale that was buried there by scientists after it beached itself?

SEE: Beached sperm whale spotted on Hilton Head Island

Let’s look at the timeline.

Back in early May, a 31-foot sperm whale, beached itself on the island.

It was said to be endangered and skinny, so it was euthanized and buried by NOAA.

Then, in the middle of June, there were two possible shark bites reported by officials.

One on the 17th and another on the 22nd.

The big question is, is it possible for those two to be related in any kind of way?

“It’s highly unlikely,” said Savannah State Professor of Marine Sciences, Tara Cox.

She says along the east coast there have been stranded whales for decades.

But why is it unlikely?

“They buried it above the high tideline at least, eight feet deep,” said Cox. “There’s no way for any of the blood to make it to the ocean.”

She said it was at it’s most concerning point above water near the shore.

Cox said during the summer, shark attacks rise because more people are on the beaches.

“We’re in their world. We’re in the marine mammal’s world, we’re in the shark’s world, and it’s nature sometimes. It’s never good, we never want to hear about a shark attack but when you go into the ocean, there’s jellyfish too, there’s sharks, that’s a natural thing that happens in the ocean,” said Cox.

As far as the connection, Cox said, “I think it’s a natural human instinct to bring two things that we don’t really understand together and make logic.”