Var. A Great White Shark observed near the islands of Porquerolles and Port-Cros

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At the beginning of November, a boater captured an exceptional video off the islands of Porquerolles and Port-Crosin the National Park (Var). The image shows a Great white shark, 4 meters longaccompanied by pilot fish and peacefully skirting the hull of the boat.

Nicolas Zianiscientific director of the Phocéen Shark Study Group (GPER), confirmed to France 3 Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur that it was indeed a Great white shark, a species that can sometimes be confused with the mako shark. “It is a young specimen, between the juvenile and adult stage, a little smaller than the 5-meter female observed in the Camargue in 2022,” he specifies.

An endangered species

The presence of this rare opportunist in the Mediterranean is encouraging for experts. According to Nicolas Ziani, “the biotopes recreated by national parks, such as that of Port-Cros, seem to favor the return of this species. »

However, the Great White Shark remains seriously threatened: its population fell by more than 90%and it is protected by the Barcelona Convention.

The Phocaean Shark Study Group recorded 794 reports since 1600including only around forty in the Gulf of Lion. Despite its rarity, the Great White Shark is sometimes the victim of accidental capture, particularly due to its predation on bluefin tuna.

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