The department received reports of the shark, a vulnerable species, washed up ‘‘in dire condition'', but by the time it was picked up yesterday, someone had taken its jaw.
Masters student Rob Lewis, who is studying sharks, said the species was not well known, as it did not often interact with humans, like more common species such as the great white.
The porbeagle was heavily affected as by-catch of the fishing industry and, while not a target species, ‘‘often they wind up getting taken out for no reason''.
‘‘We don't have a full estimate of population numbers, so it's hard to say whether they're decreasing in numbers or increasing in numbers.''
The department wanted the jaw back as a museum specimen.
‘‘It's quite rare for the sort of thing to just to wash up on the beach, so we'd like it to come back to us.''
The shark would go to the Portobello Marine Laboratory, be frozen, and then probably be used for a public dissection for education purposes.
