GREAT white sharks, widely feared creatures globally, may soon be swimming into UK waters due to climate change and seal migration, according to marine experts at Ocearch.
Tracking studies indicate these predators have begun migrating northward in search of food, with increasing sightings along the New England coast of the United States in recent years.
Until the 1970s, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, saw virtually no great white sharks, but in the last 50 years, areas like this have witnessed a surge in their numbers near the shores. This rise is attributed to seals migrating to these regions. Government efforts to protect seals inadvertently boosted their population, making them a vital food source for great whites.
The Ocearch team plans to visit the UK next summer, expecting to locate some of these formidable predators in British waters. Chris Fischer, founder of the research group, told The Times, “We believe they should be moving up past Brest [in Brittany, France] and Cornwall.”
However, marine biologist Gregory Skomal disputes Ocearch’s theory, noting the absence of white shark sightings around Cornwall. He explained, “They should be there but they are not and we don’t know why.”
Contrary to Skomal’s claims, records from the University of Plymouth indicate that great whites have been spotted around the UK since 1965, with nearly 100 credible but unconfirmed sightings noted in the last decade.
Great white sharks are commonly found along the coastlines of California, Hawaii, and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in Australia and South Africa. They are known for their predatory behaviour and ability to detect a drop of blood in one million drops of water.
