Watch: 20-foot-long shark spotted off Block Island in Rhode Island

There’s a shark in the pond, and New Englanders are basking in its glory.

Just in time for the 50th anniversary of “Jaws,” a shark was spotted Monday near Block Island, Rhode Island, which USA Today recently named one of the 10 best summer destinations for 2025.

“There’s a shark in the pond!” somebody called out in a distinct New England accent (read: “shahk in the pawnd”), referencing the classic scene from the 1975 film.

Block Islanders were “treated to quite the scene” as a pair of fins sliced through the water of the Great Salt Pond, as seen in a video posted by the Atlantic Shark Institute. The video was recorded by a diner at Dead Eye Dick’s, a seafood restaurant which overlooks the pond.

“Sharks are arriving in Rhode Island daily as water temperatures continue to rise and more and more species of shark find them suitable to their liking,” the institute wrote on Facebook. “Hopefully this shark will find its way out of Great Salt Pond soon and continue on its way!”

The nonprofit organization joked about how the sight resembled a scene from “Jaws” and prompted commenters to guess what species it was. After millions of views, thousands of comments, and about 10 species of shark predicted, the organization revealed that it was a filter-feeding basking shark.

“They can look quite a bit like a great white shark at a glance, or from distance, and that can put people into a panic and justifiably so based on where you might be at the time (think in the water!)” Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, wrote to Boston.com.

Basking sharks are the second largest fish in the world, beaten out only by the whale shark. Though they can reach lengths of over 40 feet, the one spotted in the Great Salt Pond was closer to 20 feet long, according to Dodd.

“The size of these sharks, the height of the dorsal fin, and how they move can be a real attention getter!” Dodd wrote.

As the organization had hoped, the animal appeared to have left the pond overnight and continued on its way, according to Dodd.

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