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Hammerhead Shark Retreats to Assatugue

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OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) - Officials say a hammerhead shark that kept swimmers out of the surf in Ocean City has retreated back into Assateague Bay.

The latest sightings of the animal were confirmed by Maryland Natural Resources Police late Thursday afternoon. Officials say the hammerhead was about 300 pounds and about 8 feet long. The shark kept swimmers out of the water for nearly 24 hours.

Officials say the shark may have been hurt but didn't pose a risk to swimmers. Lifeguards had tracked the shark cruising up and down the coast since Wednesday afternoon, following it on ATVs and warning swimmers of its presence.

Hammerhead sharks are not known to be aggressive around humans, but the one cruising the waters Wednesday and Thursday had repeatedly tried to beach itself among the crowds.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.