A great white shark that washed up on an Australian beach this week had a sea lion stuck in its throat which likely caused its death, fisheries officials said Thursday.

The four-metre (13-foot) white pointer was filmed thrashing around just off Coronation Beach, 430 kilometres (270 miles) north of Perth, and was later found on the sand.

The Western Australia Department of Fisheries said it had no visible signs of injury or disease, but had a large sea lion lodged in its throat.

"This could explain why the shark was exhibiting such unusual behaviour in shallow waters off Coronation Beach," said research scientist Rory McAuley in a statement.

"It is possible that the shark was trying to dislodge the blockage.

"Such a large object may have damaged the shark's internal organs or impeded water flow into his gills, contributing to his death," he added.

2014年07月19日 12:06

徐秀娥／綜合報導

大白鯊在海域邊擱淺，可能有許多原因，但澳洲當地漁業工作人員，還是第一次發現有大白鯊吞食海獅而活活被噎死。

根據澳洲媒體《Geraldton新聞》報導，一漁業調查隊在澳洲克羅內申海灘附近海域，發現一條4公尺長大白鯊被冲上岸。當地漁業部門人員檢視大白鯊屍體，牠既沒有明顯傷痕，也看不出患有什麼病。最後只在其喉部找到一頭大海獅。

首席研究科學家羅里．麥考利說，沒有明顯跡象顯示鯊魚有損傷或疾病，但澳洲海獅卡在牠喉部，解釋了大白鯊的行為怪異。「吞食這麼大的物體，可能損壞了鯊魚的內臟或阻礙水流進牠的腮，這加劇了牠的死亡」，麥考利博士說。

一名目擊者稱，當時的情景讓人感到驚奇，那條大白鯊靠近海岸後，來來回回折騰了2個小時。