Spinner sharks are common in warm waters but are being spotted more often in waters off Rhode Island

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An estimated 400 spinner sharks were spotted during an aerial survey about 10 miles south of Block Island in August 2025.

Spinner sharks, typically found in warmer Southern waters, are appearing more frequently off New England as ocean temperatures rise.

Researchers are investigating whether warming waters have caused spinner sharks to shift their nursery habitats northward.

Spinner sharks are named for their behavior of leaping out of the water and spinning in the air while feeding.

A kitschy movie might call the gathering of an estimated 400 sharks off Block Island a "Sharknado," but the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management isn't quite so melodra

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