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Meet with A Great white shark It is undoubtedly an “exciting” experience, and is considered particularly rare in the waters of the Mediterranean. The latest sighting, which attracted media attention and made headlines around the world, occurred during a dive in the Strait of Sicily by volunteers from Ghost Diving and Healthy seasorganizations dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems.
The encounter was documented by diver Dirk Remmers, who… He said BBC that he found it difficult to operate his camera due to the excitement. The footage is the first recorded footage of a great white shark In its homeland in the Mediterranean – it displays a huge specimen of adult males Carcharodon carcariasIt is a local species that is now considered critically endangered.
Great white shark
Carcharodon carcariascommonly known as the great white shark, belongs to the Lamnidae family and is one of the largest predatory fish in existence. It can exceed 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weigh more than 2 tons. It feeds primarily on fish, including rays and other sharks, although adult individuals may also prey on marine mammals such as seals and dolphins.
The great white shark has an extremely keen sense of smell and excellent swimming abilities, and is considered one of the most efficient predators in the food chain. As such, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems by regulating the numbers of its prey.
One of the endangered species
The great white shark is found in temperate and subtropical waters throughout the world’s oceans, and has inhabited the Mediterranean Sea for millions of years. However, today their population has declined dramatically, and sightings are becoming increasingly rare. Despite their popularity, attacks on humans are very rare. These species are under increasing threat due to human activities, especially bycatch in fishing operations, poaching, habitat loss, and the decline of their natural prey.
For this reason, Carcharodon carcarias It is classified as exhibition On the IUCN Red List, while the Mediterranean population is considered the most dangerous and is classified as critically endangered.
A rare encounter
Therefore, every documented sighting of a great white shark in the Mediterranean Sea represents a valuable opportunity, as it provides useful information for scientific research and conservation strategies for this species in a sea where its presence is now extremely rare. At the same time, this latest encounter can be interpreted as an encouraging sign for marine biodiversity and a reminder of the importance of continuing and strengthening conservation efforts for marine ecosystems, which are among the most fragile in the world.
“Most of our knowledge about great white sharks in the Mediterranean comes from dead specimens caught during fishing operations,” says Carlo Catano, researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn. “Such observations are invaluable for improving our understanding of the distribution, habits and behavior of this endangered species, whose survival is threatened by human activities. Shark research over time has allowed us to identify many critical areas for threatened species, and this insight is particularly important in validating the conservation value of this area.”
This story originally appeared on Wired Italy It was translated from Italian.
