Scientists say the surge is closely tied to the recovery of the gray seal population after the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed in 1972. The Times reported that seal numbers rose from about 2,000 in 1994 to somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 by 2017.

A 2023 study published in Marine Ecology Progress Series estimated that roughly 800 individual white sharks visited Cape Cod between 2015 and 2018, confirming the area as one of the world’s larger white‑shark hot spots.

According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the sharks have been hunting seals in shallow coastal waters ever since they began returning predictably each summer and fall, but there is no evidence that they have become more aggressive toward humans.

The growing predator‑prey relationship has reshaped local wildlife dynamics and even sparked a new kind of ecotourism, as visitors now seek out safe ways to watch the sharks while supporting ongoing research.