Great white sharks in the Mediterranean Sea are facing the threat of extinction, with illegal fishing and industrial activity driving rapid population declines. US scientists, in partnership with the UK’s Blue Marine Foundation, report that at least 40 great whites have been killed in North African ports in 2025 alone. These sharks are protected under international law, but footage and market observations reveal continued illegal trade. Researchers are now working to track the remaining sharks, highlighting the urgent need for conservation.

Great White Sharks At Risk Of Extinction: Disappearing From The Mediterranean

Remember the movie Jaws—the chilling fin, the unforgettable theme, and those terrifying teeth? Now imagine a world where sharks, the ocean’s top predators, are left toothless. It might sound like a sci-fi twist, but new research suggests it's a real and alarming possibility. Scientists warn that rising ocean acidification and pollution are threatening the very enamel that makes shark teeth so deadly. What could this mean for marine ecosystems—and us?


Climate change bites back at sharks

<p>In a shocking incident on a beach in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), a great white shark washed up ashore. The 3.5-metre shark was seen swimming along the Kingscliff beach on the Tweed Coast on Monday (Mar 4) morning as lifeguards tracked its progress.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What happened?</strong></h2>

<p>The female shark was reportedly seen struggling along the shore before it washed up on the beach. Subsequently, a veterinary team from Sea World on the Gold Coast were called to assess the shark.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The shark was later euthanised and a bulldozer was called to safely carry it away for necropsy. Sea World shark bay supervisor Siobhan Houlihan told ABC that the shark was identified as a mature female. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-pushes-for-new-search-10-years-after-disappearance-of-flight-mh370-696196">Malaysia may launch new search 10 years after disappearance of flight MH370 as demand swells</a></strong></p>

<p>“We’ve come down to see if there’s anything that we can do to help this animal,” said Houlihan. “Unfortunately, as we’ve got here, she’s beached herself and is not in a good way.”</p>

<p>She said that the team would conduct a “full necropsy” to ascertain what caused this unfortunate event to take place. Houlihan also noted that it was extremely unusual for sharks to beach themselves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Sea World, in a statement, said that the shark had been in poor condition and the thrashing behaviour of the shark observed before it got beached was not normal for the species.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Sadly, the shark was in a poor condition after beaching and the Sea World veterinary team administered medications to make the shark comfortable while it was humanely euthanised,” said a Sea World spokesperson, as quoted by the Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The shark appeared to have underlying health issues, with the thrashing behaviour seen in the shallows prior to the beaching not typical for the species,” the spokesperson added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>‘Shocking’</h2>

<p>The rare sight attracted a large group of beachgoers given that while sharks are often spotted in the waters around Kingscliff beach, but it was very unusual to see one on the beach.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-massive-bushes-inundate-utahs-town-after-tumbleweed-storm-696329">Massive bushes inundate Utah town after ‘tumbleweed storm’</a></strong></p>

<p>“I saw the shark in the shallows getting washed around, I could see it flapping in the water,” Kingscliff resident Rhonda Mitchell, 78, who was on a morning walk when she spotted the shark, told ABC.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added, “It is very unusual to see a shark up close, you know they’re there, but you don't usually see them.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


In a shocking incident on a beach in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), a great white shark washed up ashore. The 3.5-metre shark was seen swimming along the Kingscliff beach on the Tweed Coast on Monday (Mar 4) morning as lifeguards tracked its progress.

In a shocking incident on a beach in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), a great white shark washed up ashore. The 3.5-metre shark was seen swimming along the Kingscliff beach on the Tweed Coast on Monday (Mar 4) morning as lifeguards tracked its progress. What happened? The female shark was reportedly seen struggling along the shore before it washed up on the beach. Subsequently, a veterinary team from Sea World on the Gold Coast were called to assess the shark. The shark was later euthanised and a bulldozer was called to safely carry it away for necropsy. Sea World shark bay supervisor Siobhan Houlihan told ABC that the shark was identified as a mature female. Also Read | Malaysia may launch new search 10 years after disappearance of flight MH370 as demand swells “We’ve come down to see if there’s anything that we can do to help this animal,” said Houlihan. “Unfortunately, as we’ve got here, she’s beached herself and is not in a good way.” She said that the team would conduct a “full necropsy” to ascertain what caused this unfortunate event to take place. Houlihan also noted that it was extremely unusual for sharks to beach themselves. The Sea World, in a statement, said that the shark had been in poor condition and the thrashing behaviour of the shark observed before it got beached was not normal for the species. “Sadly, the shark was in a poor condition after beaching and the Sea World veterinary team administered medications to make the shark comfortable while it was humanely euthanised,” said a Sea World spokesperson, as quoted by the Guardian. “The shark appeared to have underlying health issues, with the thrashing behaviour seen in the shallows prior to the beaching not typical for the species,” the spokesperson added. ‘Shocking’ The rare sight attracted a large group of beachgoers given that while sharks are often spotted in the waters around Kingscliff beach, but it was very unusual to see one on the beach. Also Read | Massive bushes inundate Utah town after ‘tumbleweed storm’ “I saw the shark in the shallows getting washed around, I could see it flapping in the water,” Kingscliff resident Rhonda Mitchell, 78, who was on a morning walk when she spotted the shark, told ABC. She added, “It is very unusual to see a shark up close, you know they’re there, but you don't usually see them.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘Shocking’: Great white shark washes up on Australian beach

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuid7nEJFKOT1rb1" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>A new, terrifying drone footage captured off the coast of California has shocked the netizens, showing how close the great white sharks swim to humans. The footage shot by wildlife photographer Kevin Christopherson at San Onofre State Beach, a popular surfing destination in San Diego shows the moment unsuspecting surfers received the company of these sharks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the video, at least three huge great white sharks can be seen swimming around at least a dozen surfers. Most of them did not seem to have any clue that the apex predators were a few metres away from them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is not the first instance when sharks have been spotted near the beach. Last year in October, during one of the surfing competitions, veteran surf photographer Jordan Anast managed to capture a great white rocketing out of the water and then splashing down.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, a recent study by California State University found that sharks swim much closer to humans than previously imagined. The researchers arrived at the conclusion after conducting over 1,500 drone flights spanning two years in southern Santa Barbara County and central San Diego County.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In both spots, the sharks were observed swimming near humans on 97 per cent of the days surveyed, and often within 50 yards of wave breaks. The sharks generally came closest to surfers and stand-up paddle boarders," the study revealed.&nbsp;</p>

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<h2><strong>Similar footage emerged last week</strong></h2>

<p>The footage of sharks swimming close to humans comes barely a week after a similar video surfaced from Florida's Navarre beach. One of the videos that went viral at the time showed a shark swimming near the crowd, flapping its fins and tail while the confused and nervous beachgoers looked for safer options.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The video showed terrified men, women and children as they hurried out of the water as soon as they caught sight of the shark. In the blink of an eye, a fun and frolic day at the beach turned into nothing short of a nightmare.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sydney-swimmer-killed-in-a-shark-attack-453976"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Sydney swimmer killed in a shark attack</strong></a></p>

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<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/jaws-in-real-life-russian-man-ripped-apart-in-shark-attack-off-egypts-red-sea-resort-602480#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></p>

<p>Last month, in what was a scene straight out of Steven Spielberg's&nbsp;<em>Jaws</em>&nbsp;movie, a Russian man was ripped and mauled apart by a lone shark off one of Egypt's Red Sea resorts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ministry which posted a message on Facebook saying: "An attack by a tiger shark on a beachgoer... led to his death."</p>

<p>The ministry added it had captured the shark "to inspect it", adding the mammal displayed "abnormal behaviour... resulting in the incident".&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/jaws-in-real-life-russian-man-ripped-apart-in-shark-attack-off-egypts-red-sea-resort-602480"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;JAWS in real life: Russian man ripped apart in shark attack off Egypt’s Red Sea resort</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Previous incidents of shark attacks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>According to experts, the great whites are most commonly known for attacking humans followed by the tiger sharks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier this year in February, a 59-year-old Australian tourist was killed by a shark near a beach in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. At the time of his death, the man was swimming close to a pontoon and was 150 metres away from the shore when the shark attacked.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A new, terrifying drone footage captured off the coast of California has shocked the netizens, showing how close the great white sharks swim to humans. The footage shot by wildlife photographer Kevin Christopherson at San Onofre State Beach, a popular surfing destination in San Diego shows the moment unsuspecting surfers received the company of these sharks.

A new, terrifying drone footage captured off the coast of California has shocked the netizens, showing how close the great white sharks swim to humans. The footage shot by wildlife photographer Kevin Christopherson at San Onofre State Beach, a popular surfing destination in San Diego shows the moment unsuspecting surfers received the company of these sharks. In the video, at least three huge great white sharks can be seen swimming around at least a dozen surfers. Most of them did not seem to have any clue that the apex predators were a few metres away from them. This is not the first instance when sharks have been spotted near the beach. Last year in October, during one of the surfing competitions, veteran surf photographer Jordan Anast managed to capture a great white rocketing out of the water and then splashing down. Notably, a recent study by California State University found that sharks swim much closer to humans than previously imagined. The researchers arrived at the conclusion after conducting over 1,500 drone flights spanning two years in southern Santa Barbara County and central San Diego County. "In both spots, the sharks were observed swimming near humans on 97 per cent of the days surveyed, and often within 50 yards of wave breaks. The sharks generally came closest to surfers and stand-up paddle boarders," the study revealed. × Similar footage emerged last week The footage of sharks swimming close to humans comes barely a week after a similar video surfaced from Florida's Navarre beach. One of the videos that went viral at the time showed a shark swimming near the crowd, flapping its fins and tail while the confused and nervous beachgoers looked for safer options. The video showed terrified men, women and children as they hurried out of the water as soon as they caught sight of the shark. In the blink of an eye, a fun and frolic day at the beach turned into nothing short of a nightmare. WATCH | Sydney swimmer killed in a shark attack × Last month, in what was a scene straight out of Steven Spielberg's Jaws movie, a Russian man was ripped and mauled apart by a lone shark off one of Egypt's Red Sea resorts. ministry which posted a message on Facebook saying: "An attack by a tiger shark on a beachgoer... led to his death." The ministry added it had captured the shark "to inspect it", adding the mammal displayed "abnormal behaviour... resulting in the incident". Also read | JAWS in real life: Russian man ripped apart in shark attack off Egypt’s Red Sea resort Previous incidents of shark attacks According to experts, the great whites are most commonly known for attacking humans followed by the tiger sharks. Earlier this year in February, a 59-year-old Australian tourist was killed by a shark near a beach in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. At the time of his death, the man was swimming close to a pontoon and was 150 metres away from the shore when the shark attacked. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Great white sharks swim dangerously close to surfers, drone footage shows

<p>As the US battles shark attacks, new research has said the great white sharks may be changing colour while hunting their prey.</p>

<p>The study was conducted off the South African coastline after a scientist learned about a skin deformity called leucism among the great white sharks. The peculiar phenomena results in loss of pigmentation.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-terrifying-footage-shows-great-white-sharks-fierce-attack-on-the-divers-cage-500646">Also Read:&nbsp;Terrifying footage shows Great White Shark's fierce attack on the diver's cage</a></p>

<p>The revelation raised questions as an experiment was conducted using a food decoy as the shark hit the bait using "photo ID" technique. Research&nbsp;was conducted in the lab by treating the shark skin with hormones.</p>

<p>Interestingly, results showed the shark's skin changed colour as it was treated with hormones. The skin turned darker with one hormone and lighter with another. Although it did not conclusively prove that the great white sharks change colour but the researchers pointed out that more research needs to be conducted.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Egypt closes Red Sea beaches after deadly Shark attacks</strong></p>

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<p>The US witnessed a sharp increase in shark attacks this summer. Experts say great whites move up the Atlantic coast of the United States every summer as their migration peaks in August to October. Authorities have moved to close beaches after sharks were sighted amid additional surveillance patrols with drones.</p>

<p>Tourist beaches on Long Island in the US have reported increased shark bites with experts concluding&nbsp;that tiger sharks, sand tiger sharks and bull sharks likely to be the culprits and not the great white sharks. At least 75 shark attacks are reported globally each year, according to a study.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>

<p><strong>Watch WION's LIVE&nbsp;TV here:</strong></p>

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As the US battles shark attacks, new research has said the great white sharks may be changing colour while hunting their prey. The study was conducted off the South African coastline after a scientist learned about a skin deformity called leucism among the great white sharks.

As the US battles shark attacks, new research has said the great white sharks may be changing colour while hunting their prey. The study was conducted off the South African coastline after a scientist learned about a skin deformity called leucism among the great white sharks. The peculiar phenomena results in loss of pigmentation. Also Read: Terrifying footage shows Great White Shark's fierce attack on the diver's cage The revelation raised questions as an experiment was conducted using a food decoy as the shark hit the bait using "photo ID" technique. Research was conducted in the lab by treating the shark skin with hormones. Interestingly, results showed the shark's skin changed colour as it was treated with hormones. The skin turned darker with one hormone and lighter with another. Although it did not conclusively prove that the great white sharks change colour but the researchers pointed out that more research needs to be conducted. Watch: Egypt closes Red Sea beaches after deadly Shark attacks The US witnessed a sharp increase in shark attacks this summer. Experts say great whites move up the Atlantic coast of the United States every summer as their migration peaks in August to October. Authorities have moved to close beaches after sharks were sighted amid additional surveillance patrols with drones. Tourist beaches on Long Island in the US have reported increased shark bites with experts concluding that tiger sharks, sand tiger sharks and bull sharks likely to be the culprits and not the great white sharks. At least 75 shark attacks are reported globally each year, according to a study. (With inputs from Agencies) Watch WION's LIVE TV here: ×

Great white sharks may be changing colour while hunting prey: Study

<p>Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/experts-believe-heatwave-killed-1-billion-marine-animals-on-canada-coast-396890">Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast</a></strong></p>

<p>However, soon, when two large great white sharks appeared and started eating the remains, it became a photographic opportunity and a rare sighting for shark researchers.</p>

<p>The crew of Captain John Boats posted a short video clip on Facebook showing the apex predators, one of which is 18-foot feasting on the carcass.&nbsp;Peter Corkeron a&nbsp;whale expert,&nbsp;at the New England Aquarium's, describes it as one of the biggest smorgasbord&nbsp;(or&nbsp;feast) a shark could dream of.</p>

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<p>Boat captain John Goggin told the Boston Herald that people on board were excited and that a lot of people were exclaiming 'Oh my God!' and 'Wow!'.</p>

<p>According to researchers funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), eight great whites appeared over the next two days, along with blue sharks and a variety of seabirds.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/marine-animals-thought-extinct-for-273-million-years-found-in-pacific-ocean-384121">Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean!</a></strong></p>

<p>They then tagged five new great whites with the Massachusetts division of marine fisheries' assistance. The researchers were already familiar with six of those that turned up to feed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another&nbsp;video posted by a Noaa-funded group shows a tourist boat in the background of this encounter. According to them, the carcass would provide nourishment to marine creatures for months to come.</p>

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<p>The Center for Coastal Studies, a non-profit from Provincetown, Massachusetts identified that the humpback was an unnamed male calf born in 2020 to an adult whale named Venom.</p>

<p>Scientists and whale watchers off the coast of Massachusetts and CSS scientists were familiar with this individual, the group said in a Facebook post. Although at this time, they don't know what caused his death.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to them, the fact that an individual has died is a sad event, but recording these occurrences is essential for long-term population studies.&nbsp;In addition, they say that these efforts are also required to unravel the current unusual humpback whale mortality phenomenon occurring along the Atlantic coast.</p>


Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod. This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise.

Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod. This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise. Also read | Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast However, soon, when two large great white sharks appeared and started eating the remains, it became a photographic opportunity and a rare sighting for shark researchers. The crew of Captain John Boats posted a short video clip on Facebook showing the apex predators, one of which is 18-foot feasting on the carcass. Peter Corkeron a whale expert, at the New England Aquarium's, describes it as one of the biggest smorgasbord (or feast) a shark could dream of. × Boat captain John Goggin told the Boston Herald that people on board were excited and that a lot of people were exclaiming 'Oh my God!' and 'Wow!'. According to researchers funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), eight great whites appeared over the next two days, along with blue sharks and a variety of seabirds. Also read | Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean! They then tagged five new great whites with the Massachusetts division of marine fisheries' assistance. The researchers were already familiar with six of those that turned up to feed. Another video posted by a Noaa-funded group shows a tourist boat in the background of this encounter. According to them, the carcass would provide nourishment to marine creatures for months to come. × The Center for Coastal Studies, a non-profit from Provincetown, Massachusetts identified that the humpback was an unnamed male calf born in 2020 to an adult whale named Venom. Scientists and whale watchers off the coast of Massachusetts and CSS scientists were familiar with this individual, the group said in a Facebook post. Although at this time, they don't know what caused his death. According to them, the fact that an individual has died is a sad event, but recording these occurrences is essential for long-term population studies. In addition, they say that these efforts are also required to unravel the current unusual humpback whale mortality phenomenon occurring along the Atlantic coast.

Great white sharks feast on a whale carcass in Cape Cod, video goes viral

South Africa&rsquo;s great white sharks could die out due to human interference, ocean pollution and a limited gene pool, a new study released on Wednesday showed.<br />
<br />
There are 350-520 great white sharks left off the South African coast, 50 per cent fewer than previously thought, according to a six-year study carried out mainly in Gansbaai, a shark hotspot 160 kilometres from Cape Town.<br />
<br />
&quot;South Africa&rsquo;s white sharks faced a rapid decline in the last generation, and their numbers might already be too low to ensure their survival,&rdquo; said Sara Andreotti, research leader and marine biologist at the University of Stellenbosch.<br />
<br />
Scientists say there are still thousands of great white sharks off the coast of Australia, Canada and the east coast of the United States.<br />
<br />
Thousands of tourists travel to South Africa&#39;s Western Cape each year to catch a glimpse of the ocean&#39;s top predator from underwater cages, but human interaction has made the largest contribution to declining local shark numbers.&nbsp;Shark nets used to protect swimmers and surfers killed more than 1,000 great whites off the Durban coast in the 30 years up to 2008, while trophy hunting and pollution also killed off large numbers of a species which can trace its lineage back 14 million years.<br />
<br />
South African great white sharks also have the lowest genetic diversity of all white shark populations globally, making breeding more problematic and the likelihood of illness higher, the study, which included documenting individual sharks by their dorsal fins, showed.<br />
<br />
There are only 333 great whites capable of breeding in South African waters, below the 500 usually needed to prevent &quot;inbreeding depression&quot;, the study found.<br />
<br />
&quot;We are already in a situation where our number of breeders is below the minimum level required for a population to survive,&quot; Andreotti told reporters.<br />
<br />
Losing great white sharks, which have no natural predators, would have a knock-on effect on ocean ecology. Common prey, such as the Cape fur seal, could flourish in their absence and reduce fish numbers.&nbsp;South Africa helped pioneer great white shark conservation, and in 1991 became the first in the world to declare the predator a protected species, with other countries including the US and Australia following suit.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Shark nets protecting swimmers and surfers, trophy hunting and pollution killed many great whites, a species 14 million-years-old

South Africa’s great white sharks could die out due to human interference, ocean pollution and a limited gene pool, a new study released on Wednesday showed. There are 350-520 great white sharks left off the South African coast, 50 per cent fewer than previously thought, according to a six-year study carried out mainly in Gansbaai, a shark hotspot 160 kilometres from Cape Town. "South Africa’s white sharks faced a rapid decline in the last generation, and their numbers might already be too low to ensure their survival,” said Sara Andreotti, research leader and marine biologist at the University of Stellenbosch. Scientists say there are still thousands of great white sharks off the coast of Australia, Canada and the east coast of the United States. Thousands of tourists travel to South Africa's Western Cape each year to catch a glimpse of the ocean's top predator from underwater cages, but human interaction has made the largest contribution to declining local shark numbers. Shark nets used to protect swimmers and surfers killed more than 1,000 great whites off the Durban coast in the 30 years up to 2008, while trophy hunting and pollution also killed off large numbers of a species which can trace its lineage back 14 million years. South African great white sharks also have the lowest genetic diversity of all white shark populations globally, making breeding more problematic and the likelihood of illness higher, the study, which included documenting individual sharks by their dorsal fins, showed. There are only 333 great whites capable of breeding in South African waters, below the 500 usually needed to prevent "inbreeding depression", the study found. "We are already in a situation where our number of breeders is below the minimum level required for a population to survive," Andreotti told reporters. Losing great white sharks, which have no natural predators, would have a knock-on effect on ocean ecology. Common prey, such as the Cape fur seal, could flourish in their absence and reduce fish numbers. South Africa helped pioneer great white shark conservation, and in 1991 became the first in the world to declare the predator a protected species, with other countries including the US and Australia following suit. (Reuters)

South Africa's great white sharks could die out: study

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Great White Sharks At Risk Of Extinction: Disappearing From The Mediterranean

Great White Sharks At Risk Of Extinction: Disappearing From The Mediterranean

Climate change bites back at sharks

‘Shocking’: Great white shark washes up on Australian beach

WATCH | Great white sharks swim dangerously close to surfers, drone footage shows

Great white sharks may be changing colour while hunting prey: Study

Great white sharks feast on a whale carcass in Cape Cod, video goes viral

South Africa's great white sharks could die out: study