BRITS heading to the Med this summer have been warned about sharks after a dad was mauled to death in its warm waters this week.
Whilst attacks are thankfully uncommon, this new map reveals where sharks have struck around the sea’s coastline in the past.
A shark was filmed patrolling Olga Beach near Hadera, northwest Israel, moments before savaging a swimmer on Monday
X/@SilentlySirsKids were paddling amongst sharks on the Israeli beach just before the attack[/caption]
GettyThere are 51 known species of sharks in the Med – including the notorious great white[/caption]
Experts have urged holidaymakers visiting these spots to be vigilant, and outlined how to stay safe in the water.
A 40-year-old Israeli man was torn apart by sharks as he swam in the Med off a popular tourist beach near Hadera, northwest Israel, on Monday.
The beach famously attracts sharks, and people often play with the animals – even pulling their tails and hand-feeding them fish.
Footage from the beach shows parents allowing their kids to paddle amongst the creatures moments before the fatal frenzy.
Beach-goers could do nothing but watch as the swimmer was ripped apart in the waves – with harrowing footage capturing the moment the water around him foams red with blood.
Yannis Papastamatiou, a shark expert at Florida International University, insists we must remember that sharks – of any species – are wild animals.
He told The Sun: “There has been warning signs that somebody might get hurt at that location in Israel, after the way people were behaving.
“Sharks gather in that area because they are attracted by the warm water released by a power station,” he explained.
Yannis said: “The public there were treating them like pets. People were walking right around them and hand feeding them.
“Eventually, someone was going to get hurt. And unfortunately, someone has. These aren’t pets, they are large predators.”
Alessandro De Maddalena, an international shark biology lecturer, said the sharks at the Israeli hotspot are usually dusky and sandbar sharks.
These species are often assumed to pose no threat to humans as they mainly eat reef fish.
But Alessandro warned: “Even if attacks by these species are extremely rare, it is still essential to treat these animals with extreme caution.
“Entering the water with these shark species without any experience, and allowing children and young people to do so, is completely irresponsible.”
AFPA gang of sparks was spotted prowling the waters where the Israeli man was killed in the following days[/caption]
Panicked swimmers fled the water when a blue shark popped out of the water in MajorcaSolarpix
If you do find yourself face-to-face with one of the predators, Yannis warned you should not “wait around”.
He said: “If you’re just swimming and there’s large shark in the water, just get out. Is it likely to bit you? No. But there’s no reason not to be cautious.
“Also, keep your eyes on it. Make sure the animal knows that you’re there and don’t let them swim behind you. Try to keep it in sight as you move toward the shore.”
Sharks attacks are – thankfully – very rare in the Mediterranean sea, and certainly should not scare you off a visit.
Yannis said: “It’s a tragic situation when anyone gets hurt, but it’s important to remember how rare these situations are.
“There’s been a lot of sharks in this area, and lot of people in the water over the past ten years, and this is the first attack.”
SolarpixA shark caused the closure of a string of Majorca holiday beaches[/caption]
GettyThe number of sharks in the Mediterranean sea has plummeted due to over-fishing[/caption]
Most holiday destinations are very safe – and tourists are highly unlikely to even see a shark if unless they visit a hotspot.
Alessandro advised avoiding “power plants and fish farms where large, potentially dangerous sharks are frequently present”.
He added: “If you know that a particular site is regularly
visited by large, potentially dangerous sharks or that they have been seen in the area on those days, it is advisable to avoid entering the water altogether.
“Most important, never dive alone and never spearfish in those areas.
Yannis said sharks are also known to gather around “ports or harbours where fish, carcasses or blood from fishing activities might be dumped”, so these are best avoided as well.
There are 51 species of shark in the Mediterranean sea, but both experts stressed over-fishing has significantly reduced their numbers.
Alessandro said: “The most dangerous species, the great white shark, once common in the Mediterranean, is now extremely
rare.
“The last fatal attack caused by this species in the area dates back to 1989.”
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