This is the first observation of a basking shark this year. There were only three last year …
Nicolas, Fabien and Kevin had taken the sea early Saturday morning to enjoy the sun and watch the dolphins. Yet this is another meeting that the three friends made: at 10am, this March 26, 10 km from the coast, between Palavas-les-Flots and Frontignan (Hérault), boaters filmed a basking shark 7 m long!
The video, authenticated by the Fins association, which fights for the protection of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean Sea, shows the animal turning around the boat.
The first sighting of the year
This is the first observation of this kind in the Mediterranean in 2016, and there were only three last year … A census project helped to identify 129 reports in the French Mediterranean waters since 1998 …
“In the Wings team, we have marine biologists, who authenticated the small film, and we also appraise the APECS Association [Association for the Study and Conservation of selachians] says Matthew Lapinski, CEO of Fins. The observation of a basking shark at this distance is very rare. This is a vulnerable species and endangered, which feed mainly on plankton. ”
The shark is not dangerous to humans
No panique¨so if you cross a harmless pilgrim: this year, we can swim without fear on the beaches … “In general, the shark is not dangerous to humans: these are not situations that are dangerous , said Matthew Lapinski. Last year, there were six deaths worldwide related to sharks. For comparison, there were tens of thousands of deaths from domestic dogs … ”
To contribute to the conservation of the species, the association Fins invited to report any observation of basking shark on its website or by calling directly APECS (06 77 59 69 83 or online at www.asso- apecs.org ).
