30-foot basking shark draws crowds in Nova Scotia

A basking shark estimated at about 30 feet long was spotted in Bedford Basin in Halifax over the weekend, attracting onlookers to the waterfront and marina area. Videos shared on social media showed the fish swimming near boats in the northwestern end of Halifax harbour on Friday and Saturday. Witnesses described the encounter as striking but said they watched from shore or the wharf. Local resident Christie Wisener and her daughter Sydney said they were excited to see the shark, while Bedford Basin Yacht Club member David Hamilton said the animal came within a few feet of the dock and appeared to circle the area. Experts said basking sharks are filter feeders and do not pose a threat to people. Fred Whoriskey of Dalhousie University said there was no reason to panic, while Marine Animal Response Society coexecutive director Tonya Wimmer called the sighting unusual for such a sheltered part of the basin. Basking sharks are the secondlargest fish in the world and are commonly seen along Atlantic Canada’s coast in summer, but their appearance deep inside Bedford Basin was described as rare. The species has been listed as one of special concern in Canada since 2009.