NEPA urges caution as sharks feed on whale carcass in Salt Marsh

TRELAWNY, Jamaica — The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is advising members of the public to exercise caution and avoid entering the water in the Salt Marsh area of Trelawny after sharks were seen feeding on a whale carcass that washed ashore on Friday.

NEPA said the presence of sharks and marine mammals in Jamaican waters is a natural occurrence and that the feeding activity is also part of the marine ecosystem’s natural process and does not, by itself, suggest an unusual environmental event.

Sharks play an important role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems as both predators and scavengers. By consuming dead or weakened animals, they help remove organic matter, recycle nutrients and support the balance of ocean environments.