Divers Record First Underwater Footage of Adult Great White Shark in Mediterranean

Divers from the Healthy Seas Foundation captured what is believed to be the first-ever ^[1] underwater footage of an adult great white shark in the Mediterranean.

The sighting is significant because it provides rare visual evidence of a species that is currently classified as critically endangered ^[2] within the Mediterranean Sea. This encounter suggests the continued presence of apex predators in a region where they are seldom seen and poorly documented.

The footage was recorded in the Strait of Sicily, located between Italy and Tunisia in the central Mediterranean ^[1]. The divers were not searching for sharks at the time; they were conducting a mission to recover abandoned fishing nets, often called ghost nets, from a shipwreck ^[1]. These nets pose a severe threat to marine life by trapping animals, and destroying habitats.

Beyond the shark encounter, the mission aimed to assess the impact of industrial fishing on a biodiversity hotspot ^[1]. The recovery of these nets is a primary goal for the Healthy Seas Foundation to mitigate the long-term damage caused by lost fishing gear.

The Mediterranean region has long been known to host great white sharks, but high-quality underwater recordings of adults have remained elusive ^[1]. This recording serves as a critical data point for marine biologists studying the movement and health of the species in these waters.

While the shark appeared in the video during the cleanup operation, the divers continued their work to clear the shipwreck ^[1]. The foundation said that the presence of such a predator indicates a complex ecosystem that still supports high-level hunters despite the pressures of industrial fishing ^[1].