ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Two new bills recently introduced in the Maryland legislature propose making one of the largest predators to ever prowl the ocean the official state shark.
House Bill 97 and Senate Bill 135, both introduced for a first reading in their respective chambers on Jan. 14, 2026 would designate the long-extinct megalodon as the state shark of Maryland.
The megalodon is believed to have been the largest shark to have ever lived. An apex predator, the carnivore ruled the global seas from 23 to 3.6 million years ago and was roughly three times the length of a modern-day great white, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. At 60 feet long and up to 50 tons, the shark’s prey included whales, seals, sea cows, turtles, and other prehistoric sharks.
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In their respective bills, Maryland Delegate Todd Morgan and State Senator Jack Bailey argue in favor of the megalodon’s designation as the state shark by pointing to the species’ fossilized teeth being discovered throughout the state. Here on Delmarva, the lawmakers say the teeth have been discovered in both Dorchester and Caroline Counties.
The Smithsonian also notes that well-preserved megalodon teeth have been found in the Chesapeake Bay region. Morgan and Bailey say these remnants underscore Maryland’s rich fossil history.
“There are extant sharks in both the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s coastal waters, and the megalodon, although extinct, lived in this area for millions of years and is a reminder of the important role modern and prehistoric sharks have played in shaping past and present ecosystems,” House Bill 97 reads.
If passed, the proposed cross-filed legislation would effectively make the megalodon the state shark beginning Oct. 1, 2026.