A shark that washed ashore in Point Lookout Monday was found dead, according to Department of Environmental Conservation officials.

A fisherman was able to get the mako shark that was struggling near the shore back into the water Monday, and it swam away.

It washed up on the shore later that day and was dead. It was taken to a local marina for marine experts to investigate how it died.

Local shark research experts say the male shark weighed close to 400 pounds and was 6-7 feet long.

News 12 is told the shark was most likely chasing bunker fish at the time, lost his way and washed ashore.

"Anytime anyone sees a shark like that, they say, 'I'm never going in the water, I'm scared of sharks, they're going to bite me, they're going to attack me,' but with a mako, they are strictly fish-eaters," says Christopher Paparo, of the Stony Brook University Marine Scientist Center.

Climate change has also had sharks migrating further north.