How to Find Shark Teeth on New Jersey Beaches
The Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Jersey is teaming with aquatic life. The most feared and revered is the shark. Sharks off the New Jersey coast come in all sizes and species, from the small sand shark to the large great white shark. Shark teeth are abundant along New Jersey beaches, as most sharks have row upon row of teeth and lose some on a daily basis. Looking for shark teeth on New Jersey beaches is a fun hobby.
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Things You'll Need
- Small shovel
- Bucket
- Sand sifter
- Pictures of shark teeth
- Local tide table
Instructions
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Select a New Jersey beach that has a good supply of shells and rocks. Each New Jersey beach town will have several different beaches. You can ask at a local shop where the best shell beaches are or even ask about the beach where the most shark teeth can be found. The best beaches for finding shark teeth change every winter due to storms and flood tides, so asking locals is your best bet.
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Arrive at the beach at low tide to start your search for shark teeth. Look for areas where shells and rocks have settled. They can be near the ocean, behind a large rock or in a washed-out area of the beach. Check your tide table to find the time of low tide. Shells, stones and shark teeth are left on the beach as the tide recedes, making this the best time to search.
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Shovel sand, shells and stones into a quarter-inch sifter. Shake the sifter to remove the small stones and sand, leaving the larger stones and shells. Pour water from the bucket over the sifter to help identify the shark teeth, which are very dark when wet.
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Look for dark stones that are shaped like triangles. Save these in a jar or bag and compare them to photos of shark teeth to identify the species of shark for each tooth found.
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Tips & Warnings
New Jersey has 126 miles of coastline from Sandy Hook to Cape May.
A shark tooth is very distinct and you will recognize one after looking at pictures of them.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit megalodon tooth image by Falk from Fotolia.com
