What kind of sharks are found in the Red Sea. White shark in the red sea

“A shark ate a woman!”, “Attack of toothy predators on Egypt!”- Russian airwaves were filled with such news at the end of 2010. Five years later, passions subsided, but another tragedy off the coast of Hurghada again shocked our compatriots. Russians still go to Africa. Some frivolously close their eyes, believing in “ own star", others promise themselves to be careful.

Is it possible today not to be afraid of attacks from bloodthirsty cannibals, what measures are the Egyptians taking to prevent shark attacks - this is what our story is about.

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History of all attacks

In one week in 2010, the Red Sea in the Sharm el-Sheikh area became truly red with the blood of the affected people.

November 30th. A forty-eight-year-old Moscow resident opened a list of victims. Just 2 hours later, the predator met 70-year-old Lyudmila Stolyarova.

December 1. Evgeny Trishkin, Victoria and Viktor Koliy encountered mortal danger face to face.

Egyptian authorities have closed beaches in Sharm el-Sheikh. But after 3 days a message appeared that the shark had been caught. The resort has returned to its former life. Carefree vacationers boldly rushed into the depths of the sea.

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5th of December. An elderly German woman was attacked by a toothy creature right near the shore. The woman did not suffer severe blood loss.

22.03. 2017 In the El Kawther area of ​​Hurghada, a giant cannibal attacked and bit off the leg of a German tourist. They were able to pull the man ashore, but he died from injuries and blood loss.

Viktor Koliy (fourth on the list of victims):

“The day before departure, our whole family swam in the sea, at the border where the reef ended and the depth began. We did not hear that sharks had attacked a person in this area the day before, although we watched the news. I put on my mask and saw something big and gray at the bottom. The fish swam up to my leg and I hit it. Then he raised his head and shouted to his wife and son: “Shark! On beach!". At first she circled around me, and then headed towards my wife. I tried to jump on top of her and hit her again. I didn’t feel any bites myself, only strong tremors. He focused all his attention on the family - whether they could get to the beach. There were only 3 meters left to the shore when a terrible shadow appeared near his wife. The woman managed to notice her and literally jump onto land. My leg was bleeding, but these minor wounds were nothing compared to what could have happened. We were lucky, but the shock was huge.”

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Courage or stupidity?

Paradox: Egypt's beaches, which should have been deserted after the tragedies, turned out to be crowded with thrill-seekers.

In 2000, Konstantin Gorokhov opened the first Russian diving center in Sharm. Here are his impressions of the influx of tourists after the attack on people by terrible predators in 2010:

“Such madness has never happened before! In Sharm, the change of tourists occurs quite quickly. Everyone comes for 5-6 days, after which they fly away with their stories. The newcomers were not enriched by impressions when someone was being devoured by a toothy creature before their eyes. Therefore, their attitude to the problem is very frivolous. A change in cold climate, quick holiday romances, an all-inclusive system that provides unlimited access to not the highest quality alcohol, changes consciousness immediately. The real danger seems like a horror story, invented specifically to enhance the local flavor.”

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In the event of a total ban on swimming, Egyptians not only post relevant notices on the shore, but also install on dangerous coastal areas black flags. Our tourists calmly step over all prohibitions. A week after the tragedy, the Russians boldly declared: “We’ll go swimming! We came to Sinai for the sea and saw a shark not far from the pontoon. We saw them and fed them a bun from the hotel restaurant!”

Victor (diving instructor):

“Tourists have fun feeding fish near the shore. They are poorly aware of the danger. In fact, a harmless picture later becomes a bloody picture: one grandmother throws some bread into the water, and another grandmother is eaten by a fish that was fed near these places.”

Did you know that sharks have an incredible sense of smell? Special experiments were carried out to prove this statement. Meat was slowly lowered into the pool at a distance of 100 m from the predators. After 1 second the piece was swallowed.

Anastasia:

“I witnessed a situation where a mother and daughter reached the buoys. Mom swims across the buoys, and her daughter stops her: “You can’t go there!” For what adult woman replies: “It’s more interesting there, let’s see the fish.” It's OK!" and continues to swim into the depths. Children can be smarter and more careful than their parents.”

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Causes of tragedies. Experts' opinion

On the pedestal of territories favored by sharks, the Egyptian country occupies a modest ninth place. Over the past 100-plus years, the attack in 2017 is only the eleventh case.

Some experts explain the aggression of sharks by a decrease in the food supply for predators: excessive industrial fishing forces animals to look for other food. Others admit the possibility of sabotage: the ship, heading to Jordan, had a cargo of live cattle on board. From time to time, dead livestock were thrown into the sea, and the toothy predators “flocked” for easy prey. Along with the version of the dumping of dead sheep, the possibility of natural complementary feeding was considered: one of the staff of hotel restaurants could have dumped the garbage right near the shore.

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It has been noticed that predators attack divers less often than just a person swimming. Obviously, the marine inhabitants take a diver in a suit and equipment as one of their own or simply cannot stand the plume of carbon dioxide bubbles and avoid such prey. Hobbyists are more likely to suffer from sea killers.

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Egyptian authorities are sounding the alarm

After a series of shark attacks on people in the Red Sea, a hunt for sea cannibals was announced in Egypt. It was then that a mako shark, atypical for the Red Sea, was caught, which was found here long years nobody has seen. Hundreds of species of sharks are found in the Red Sea, including about a dozen particularly aggressive ones. The long-winged shark, which kept law-abiding Europeans in fear in 2010, is distinguished by the fact that it can swim up to one and a half meters to the coastline. This means that its victim could be a small child building Easter cakes in the surf, or a particularly cautious tourist who does not risk going into the water above his waist.

Several groups of scientists were involved in the search for the culprit of the “Sinai commotion.” It was suggested that it was not a “serial cannibal maniac” operating in coastal waters, but several sharks. Russian scientists denied this version.

A. Kasumyan (professor-ichthyologist):

“Most likely, this is one individual. Fish quickly develop conditioned feeding habits, and once a shark has tasted human blood, it will try to repeat its experience.”

Concerned Egyptians caught several Jaws followers, but to no avail. No traces of bloody violence were found in the stomachs of the killed animals; they were not involved in the tragedies in Naama Bay.

It is impossible to predict the actions of sharks. Local authorities interested in the influx of tourists are trying to take precautions:

• feeding fish and dumping restaurant waste into the sea is prohibited;
• instructors on the beach are instructed to: monitor the coastal waters from towers;

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• In the water areas of many hotels, nets are installed, in which sometimes lost lovers of hunting are found.

Actions to take when encountering a shark

So, you saw a shark nearby. What should I do? Experienced divers advise simply praying. Another advice from scientists:

1. Keep a cool head (if possible).
2. Try to hit the shark in the face with a heavy object.
3. Press on the fish's eyes or grab the gills.

The bloody situation of 2010 ended unexpectedly. A tipsy tourist killed a shark by jumping from a pontoon into the water. To its sorrow, a hammerhead shark swam under the diving board and died from a concussion (according to experts). The man was taken to the hospital, but the doctors’ diagnosis was curious: minor bruises and severe alcohol intoxication.

Other dangers of the Red Sea

Diving into the waters of the Red Sea is always an event associated with risk. A large number of underwater inhabitants: sea ​​urchins, scorpion lionfish, poisoned corals, electric ramps, fish-stone - can greatly spoil your vacation. Therefore, knowledge about sea ​​inhabitants, meeting with whom is undesirable, is very useful. You need to know the enemy by sight!

Arriving in Egypt, tourists want to get the most out of their vacation. Some people first of all go to explore the famous pyramids, others can’t wait to plunge into the bustle of the bright colorful Egyptian market, while others put on a mask and rush to explore the beauty of the Red Sea. Of course, the most vivid impression will be getting to know the corals. One thing you shouldn’t forget is that corals are beautiful, but treacherous - how to admire them and stay healthy -.

And finally

Do not confuse the tropical sea with a swimming pool, where man is not the king of nature, but just banal food. You can relax on the Red Sea. But be careful!

Oct 30, 2015 Kate

The Red Sea has the largest number of different fish, among them there are also sharks.

Shark- this is the number one predator of this sea, and I will tell you what species you can see. There are about 30 species of these individuals in the sea, but don’t be alarmed, at the end of the article you will understand everything.

Here are the most common red sea sharks:

Shark- the number one predator of this sea. Yes, there is a shark in the Red Sea, and not just one species, but several (about 30).

Species of red sea sharks

I will write a few things that are often encountered.

Dark tip gray shark is a reef shark that swims near reefs at shallow depths, sometimes in water even 60 cm deep, found at depths of up to 75 m. This shark is very active, swims all the time from one reef to another in search of food, its size is 1, 5-1.8 m, weight about 45 kg. Particularly active at night. This species does not attack people; they are shy. There have been several cases where they grabbed a diver by the fins; if you invade her territory and threaten her, she may attack.

Whitetip gray shark it is also called the silver shark - unlike the dark fin shark, this shark has a light dorsal fin and tail tip, hence the name. This species is found near reefs in shallow water; there have been cases where it was seen even at a depth of 300m. During the day, this shark rests, lies on the bottom or hides between reef stones, and at night goes out hunting. Reaches 2 meters in length, weighs approximately 20 kg, and poses no threat to people. Well, unless you crawl towards her and shake your hands, then she may attack you as a defense, and you will only get away with a light bite.

Gray reef shark- grows up to two and a half meters, weighs 30-35 kg. During the day they often rest lying on the bottom, and at night they go out in flocks to hunt. This fish is often confused with the dark gray shark, but it is distinguished by the black tip of the upper fin. The shark is found at shallow depths and at depths of 100-1000 meters. The type of shark is considered aggressive and it is better to stay away from it; if you don’t get close to it, nothing will happen. But when she feels threatened and thinks that you are dangerous to her, she rushes at the swimmer and inflicts bites on him and swims away. There have been no deaths from bites of this species.

Nurse shark- this name was given to the fish from a specific way of eating food. All sharks attack the victim and bite it with their teeth, and the nanny, like a vacuum cleaner, pulls the fish into her mouth and at the same time makes a sound like a baby smacking. This different species of individuals spends all their time at the bottom, this fish is peaceful, but if you start pestering it, it can show signs of aggression. Likes to hunt squid, octopus and small fish at night.

Tiger shark- one of the most dangerous fish, grows 3-6 meters in length, and weighs as much as 400 - 900 kg, she has a bad reputation, with such large sizes she's not afraid of anything. It feeds on fish, attacks other species of sharks, dolphins, catches birds sitting on the water, even attacks turtles; the shell of a turtle does not pose any obstacle to its powerful jaws.

Fortunately, these sharks do not visit beaches where people relax; they like muddy water, where rivers flow into the sea; during the day they are at a depth of up to 300 m and only rise up to hunt at night.

Zebra shark- its color is yellow-brown or gray-brown depending on its age, sometimes confused with a leopard shark, but there is no leopard shark in the Red Sea! The fish can reach a length of 2-3.5 m and weigh 30-35 kg. During the daytime, it rests on the bottom of the sea, and at night it catches fish, mollusks, crustaceans, etc. It is not dangerous for people and does not attack them.

Hammer shark fish- This is a favorite shark of tourists, many divers swim further from the coast to see it, I also had the opportunity to do this. I wanted to, but then I was afraid, there was a fear that I might drown, I’m not an expert in swimming, I don’t swim far from the shore. Hammerheads gather in schools, sometimes they can swim close to the shore; these fish love to migrate across the sea. The fish is 3.5 m long and weighs 160 kg; they love to hunt stingrays and other fish.

And yet, it’s better not to try to approach them, as they say, out of harm’s way, with such a size of a fish it becomes scary, it’s not clear to this animal that it can shoot him in the head.

sand shark- body color is bronze-gray-brown, its length is up to two and a half meters with a weight of 110 kg, it likes to stay with a flock, does not like reefs and sandy beaches, spends almost all its time
at a depth reaching 1800 m. People rarely see it; it is better to stay further away from it.

Long winged shark- this species can be found in the open sea or ocean, one of the dangerous fish that attacks humans, its food is people who fall into the water after a ship or plane crash. She is very unpredictable, she can swim near you and not touch you, or she can take it and pounce. It feeds on fish, dead carrion (dead dolphins, birds), and hunts alone, both day and night. The dimensions of this monster are 3.5-4 m and weighs 160 kg.

Silky shark- found in the open sea and ocean, in early age They can swim near reefs, where it’s safer for them for now. They reach quite small sizes of 3.5-4 m, and they weigh
200-350 kg are considered dangerous and it is better to stay away from them.

Whale shark- the largest fish, its weight reaches up to 14-18 tons, do not be afraid, it does not attack people and fish, but feeds only on plankton (small crustaceans and small fry). This fish often swims from the ocean into the red sea, usually it is difficult to see it, but there have been cases that it has been seen near the reefs when the coral spawning season begins. Adults reach a length of 15 m; this is impressive for such a huge fish; its mouth width is 1.5 m.

White shark - the most dangerous shark on our planet, I don’t know whether it’s true or not that it happens in the Red Sea, some say that it does. Theoretically it is possible, it can swim through Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean or Mediterranean Sea. The white shark does not like warm water, cool water suits it better, so it seems to me that someone just started a myth to scare people.

The Red Sea is one of the most visited seas in the world by divers. What sharks are found here, and how dangerous and numerous are they? Are there any known cases of shark attacks on swimmers in the Red Sea? How should you behave when meeting a shark? What is the fate of sharks in the Red Sea?

A lot has been written about sharks. It doesn’t take a sage to understand that the reason for such interest in them is that the word “shark” has become synonymous with the word “danger.” We have always been afraid of sharks, and after the release of the movie "Jaws" this fear turned into real paranoia. American psychiatrists even registered a certain “shark” syndrome. It turns out that even now many Americans are afraid of sharks even when they enter the pool!

But once you start diving, you quickly realize that our fears are greatly exaggerated. Sharks turn out to be much less aggressive than expected, and overnight they become objects of underwater observation.
Seeing a shark underwater is a dream for many. The main thing here is not to go to the other extreme, starting to treat the meeting with a shark too frivolously. True, the likelihood of meeting with the “brilliant barbarian of the seas,” as Captain Cousteau called them, is rapidly decreasing these days:

So, what kind of sharks live in the Red Sea?
Let's talk about the largest and most common species (there are up to 30 of them here)))

COASTAL SHARKS

They constantly live in shallow water - on reefs, in lagoons of reef islands, bays, at the confluence of large rivers into the ocean; if they migrate, it is from reef to reef; with such movements they can sometimes sink to great depths.

Let's start with the BLACKTIP REEF shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus, blackfin/ blacktip reef shark), - not to be confused with the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus, blacktip shark). She prefers shallow water, especially Coral reefs, and is not afraid to go onto reef platforms, where the water is literally knee-deep. At the same time, this species was also recorded at a depth of 75 m.
Constantly on the move, does not know how to lie on the bottom. It is especially active at night, although it also hunts during the day, patrolling the reefs around the periphery or combing coral lagoons. The blacktip reef shark rarely exceeds 1.5-1.8 m in length and weighs 45 kg, so it is not considered dangerous. However, cases of them grabbing swimmers by the fins and knees have been recorded all over the world. They stay within the same water area for a long time and often show curiosity towards divers invading its boundaries. At the same time, they are cautious and timid. Interestingly, with the opening of the Suez Canal, blacktips reef sharks penetrated and adapted well in the Mediterranean Sea, where they are now found even off Malta.

WHITETIPE REEF SHARK (Triaenodon obesus), unlike the blacktip shark, the tip of the first dorsal fin and the upper caudal blade are white. The head is flattened, with a very characteristic wide, blunt and short (“square”) snout, and an elongated oval shape of the eyes, unusual for other sharks.
The whitetip reef shark prefers shallow depths, but has also been recorded at depths of 330 m. During the day, it often rests, lying on the bottom or hiding in the crevices of reef walls, being most active at night. Having discovered prey, it often drives it into a crevice and then squeezes into it itself. A slender, easily bending body, a short blunt snout and brow ridges that protect the eyes allow it to successfully hunt even in such close quarters. The whitetip reef shark reaches over 2 m in length and weighs over 20 kg, but is considered harmless. However, in the presence of a wounded fish (for example, during spearfishing), it easily becomes agitated and can bite the diver. There have also been cases where whitetip reef sharks have bitten overly annoying swimmers.

The GRAY REEF SHARK (Carcharhinus amblyrhychos) reaches 2.6 m in length and weighs 33.7 kg. The snout is long, wide and rounded, the eyes are large. The gray reef shark is often confused with the blacktip reef shark, which is easily distinguished by the black tip of the first dorsal fin. The gray reef shark is most often found patrolling the outer edges of reefs, but can descend to 280 m or even a kilometer depth. More active at night. Like the whitetip reef shark, it can rest for a long time during the day, lying on the bottom. "Caught" in cannibalism. It has a reputation as one of the most curious and aggressive sharks, often swimming towards divers. The gray reef bites swimmers, as a rule, only when they begin to “molest” it.
Only 7 unprovoked attacks were recorded, and none were fatal. An irritated or aggressive shark (by the way, like many other species) demonstrates a “threat pose”: a hunched back, an upturned snout with an open mouth, and downward pectoral fins. The shark becomes “nervous”, begins to swim in zigzags, and if the impolite diver does not lag behind, inflicts several serious bites and quickly disappears. By the way, when gathering in small schools, gray reef sharks are not distracted by swimmers. Apparently there are more important things to do. The diet of all three reef shark species mentioned above consists of small reef fish, squid, octopus and some crustaceans (for example, medium-sized crabs and lobsters).

The so-called “dark” nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus, tawny nurse shark) also feeds on them. It is noticeably different in appearance from most sharks, although in the dark it is sometimes confused with a tiger. She has a disproportionately large, wide head with a blunt, square snout and very small eyes, large fins and very a long tail with a barely defined lower lobe. By the way, four are called nurse sharks different types sharks In addition to the “swarthy” nanny, there are also the “common” (Ginglymostoma cirratum), gray (Odontaspis taurus, also known as sand tiger) and “small-toothed sand tiger” (Odontaspis ferox, Herbsts nurse shark), which are not found in the Red Sea. All nurse sharks feed on octopuses, crustaceans and small fish. The first two species do not grab their prey, but suck it in, sharply expanding the oral cavity and pharynx. The powerful “smack” heard at the same time, similar to the smack of a nanny cradling a baby, according to one version, became the reason for the curious name of these sharks. The tawny shark (literally translated from English as tanned skin color) is dark gray or dark sandy in color and can reach more than 3 m in length. Usually there are specimens that do not exceed 1.75-2.0 m in length. A shark of this size weighs about 50 kg. It is active almost exclusively at night, but during the day it hides in small grottoes and under the canopies of coral walls, where it rests, lying on the bottom. It does not like to rise into the water column. She is very peaceful, but becomes aggressive if treated persistently and disrespectfully.

TIGER SHARK (Galeocerdo cuvieri, tiger shark), reaching a length of 5.5-6.0 m and weighing 900 kg (usually 3.2-4.2 m and 385-635 kg), is on the list of the most dangerous sea ​​creatures. A large, powerful mouth and wide teeth with saw-like edges allow it to cope with any available prey.

Tiger sharks feed mainly on fish and other sharks, and from a certain age they begin to grab seabirds sitting on the water, tear turtles and dolphins. They have a reputation for being lovers of garbage and carrion. And once in the belly of a tiger shark they found hand grenade. The head is large, with big eyes and a very blunt snout. The back and sides are bluish-green to black. The characteristic dark spots and transverse stripes from which the shark gets its name are especially noticeable in young individuals, becoming less visible in adults.

Curious, aggressive and fearless - their size allows them. At least several dozen unprovoked attacks by tiger sharks on swimmers have been recorded, and fatal outcomes are not uncommon: according to this indicator, the tiger shark is second only to the great white and bull sharks. Fortunately for you and me, they like muddy waters (they love, for example, places where rivers flow into the ocean, bays with large coastal runoff). In addition, during the daytime, tiger sharks prefer to stay on great depths(marked to depths of 350 m), entering shallow water, including reefs, mainly at night. Subject to seasonal migrations. In summer they go to temperate waters, and in winter they return to the tropics. When migrating, they can swim far into the open ocean.

ZEBRA SHARK (Stegostoma fasciatum, zebra shark), like the tiger shark, cannot be confused with any other, even with a very strong desire. It has a short, wide head with small eyes, a cylindrical body with hard longitudinal ridges on the back and sides, closely set dorsal fins and a tail almost equal in length to the rest of the body. Adults are gray-yellow or gray-brown with numerous dark spots. In young animals, on the contrary, yellow-white spots and stripes are scattered over a black or dark brown background. This is why the zebra shark is sometimes called a variegated shark. Hence another, widespread, but incorrect name for the zebra shark - “leopard” shark.
However, the true leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata, leopard shark) is not found in the Red Sea. "Zebra" can reach a length of 3.6 m (usually 2.5-3.0 m). The two-meter shark weighs 32 kg. Inactive during the daytime. Repeatedly noted lying on the bottom, “anchored” with its pectoral fins in the sand and opening its mouth towards the underwater flow (this apparently makes breathing easier). The diet is similar to that of nurse sharks: mollusks, crustaceans, small fish. It poses no danger to swimmers, and, thanks to appearance and color, is a favorite subject for underwater photography.

HAMMERSHARKS (Sphyrna lewini) are also among the “favorites” of professional underwater photographers. Especially when they gather in flocks. True, they do this, as a rule, at decent depths (50 m or more), and getting to them is not easy.
Hammerhead sharks gather in schools near the tops of seamounts, displaying complex group behavior.
In general, this shark is very mobile, and migration is an essential element of its life, like that of the tiger shark. They can approach the surf and occur in the open ocean, sometimes dropping to 275 m.
The flat head presumably acts as an additional rudder, providing lightning-fast turns, and is involved in the operation of the shark’s sensory apparatus: the eyes and nostrils, located at the edges of the lateral lobes of the head, possibly provide greater coverage of the space under study. One of her favorite objects of hunting is stingrays: one such “hammer” had 96 (!) in its jaws. tail spines these stingrays. The body is gray-brown with a white belly. They can reach 4.2 m in length (usually 3.5 m) and weigh 160 kg. The mouth is small, so this species of hammerhead shark is not considered dangerous to humans. However, it is better not to provoke him: can you imagine the strength a 3.5-meter fish has?

The SILVER shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus, silvertip shark) is found both in coastal waters, including on reefs, and in the open ocean, for example, on banks and shallows. It can descend to depths of 800 m. It reaches 3 m in length (on average, 2.0-2.5 m) with a weight of 162.2 kg.

The body is gray or gray-brown, the belly is light. The tips of all fins are white. It feeds on fish, cephalopods and juveniles of other sharks, and there have been cases when, being on the edge of a hunting group of sharks of another species, the “silver” shark wedged itself into this school to grab prey. Considered potentially dangerous: one unprovoked attack on a swimmer was recorded. Although it prefers to keep a distance from swimmers and divers, it is easily excited and becomes aggressive, especially at the sight of a wounded fish. The silvertip shark can be confused with the gray and whitetip reef sharks, but the graytip has black tips on its pectoral fins, while the whitetip does not have white spots on them.

SAND SHARK (Carcharhinus plumbeus, sandbar shark) body is gray-brown or bronze. The belly is white. Head with a moderately long, rounded snout. The fins are uniformly colored, sometimes with slightly darker (but not black!) ends. Maximum length 2.5 m with a weight of 117.9 kg. Sand sharks sometimes live in groups consisting of individuals of the same size. It prefers coastal areas, bays, bays, estuaries, but is sometimes found in the open sea, going down to a depth of 1800 m. In shallow water, despite the name, it avoids the sandy bottom, reefs and surf zone. It also does not like to get close to the surface. It feeds on fish, stingrays, small sharks, cephalopods, and shrimp. Like anyone large predator requires respect.

LONGWING SHARK (Carcharhinus longimanus, oceanic whitetip shark) is easily distinguished by its disproportionately long pectoral fins and a white spot on the rounded tip of the first dorsal fin. The tips of the pectoral fins and tail blades may also be white. The body is gray-bronze or brown, the belly is light. Reaches 3.5-4.0 m in length with a maximum weight of 167.4 kg.
It feeds mainly on fish and squid; when it matures, it attacks large tuna, turtles, and grabs seabirds that have landed on the water. Does not disdain carrion, for example, dead dolphins, and slops poured overboard. Solitary, they hunt day and night, slowly cruising the ocean. Noticing the approach of sharks of other species during feeding, they become aggressive and try to drive away the uninvited strangers. When hunting, they develop considerable speed, easily falling into a state of “food madness.”
This is one of the most dangerous sharks, which has repeatedly attacked divers, including in the Red Sea. Frequent stories about safe diving with this predator are combined with information about unprovoked attacks on divers, surfers and ordinary swimmers. Unfortunately, one of distinctive features behavior of the longtip shark, its unpredictability. Once close to divers, they do not show any signs of fear. On the contrary, they stubbornly circle, sometimes making attempts to get closer. Most of the victims of plane crashes and shipwrecks in the open ocean are the responsibility of the long-tipped shark.

MAKO SHARK (Isurus oxyrhinchus, shortfin mako) is a solitary hunter. Mako sharks are deservedly called the “cheetahs of the ocean.” These are the fastest of all sharks, managing to catch up with swordfish. By the way, such hunting is not safe: there is a known case of a mako being caught with a piece of a swordfish’s sword piercing its eye. They practically do not approach the shore and prefer cool, deep waters to warm surface ones. The mako's body has ideal hydrodynamic properties. The head is conical, with a rounded pointed snout and large round black eyes. The color is metallic blue, the belly is white. They reach a length of 3.2-3.8 m with a maximum weight of 570 kg.

Despite its impressive size, it prefers to hunt fish and squid, while turtles and marine mammals are rarely included in its menu. However, due to its size, speed and aggressiveness, it is considered one of the most dangerous to humans. Several fatal attacks by shortfin mako sharks on swimmers have been recorded. It has been noted that before an attack they can form figure eights, approaching you with their mouth wide open.

Interesting video http://rutube.ru/tracks/3365222.html?v=db1e1cf1eeeffaab0ac1a2a5323196ec

GIANT HAMMER SHARK ( Sphyrna mokarran, great hammerhead shark) is among the largest marine predators. They reach a length of 6.1 m and weigh 450 kg (on average, about 4 m and 230 kg). Powerful body dark brown, light gray or olive in color. The belly is light. They spend most of their lives in the open sea, actively migrating and moving to cooler waters in the summer. They can descend to depths of up to 300 m. However, they regularly appear in shallow waters, including reefs and coral lagoons. They feed on fish, including their own young, but their favorite prey, like other hammerhead sharks, is stingrays. Over two dozen attacks by hammerhead sharks on humans have been recorded, two of which resulted in the death of swimmers. No one knows which species or species were responsible for this, but giant hammerhead shark must be treated with extreme caution.

WHALE SHARK ( Rhincodon typus, whale shark) is the largest fish of our time, and one of the largest ever to appear in the oceans of our planet. Adult specimens reach a length of 14-15, and according to some sources - 18 m, and a weight of 15 tons or more. In large individuals, the mouth, for example, reaches a width of 1.4 m. Its opening is located at the anterior end of a wide, flattened head bearing very small eyes. Dark skin has numerous light yellow spots and stripes. There are three longitudinal hard ridges on each side of the shark’s back. These phlegms feed on plankton and are therefore absolutely harmless. With their mouths open wide, they cruise beneath the surface, passing up to 6,000 liters of water per hour through their gill-sieves.

Sometimes they stand vertically with their heads down, sucking water with their mouths in this position. Small crustaceans, fish and small squids are the prey of whale sharks. They often do not pay the slightest attention to swimmers, however, out of curiosity, they can swim closer. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the shark’s turns and movements of its mighty tail. The entire life of whale sharks is spent in migrations. They enter the Red Sea regularly, but are not encountered very often. As a rule, people approach reefs only during coral spawning.

WHITE SHARK ( Carcharodon carcharias, great white shark) in the Red Sea, supposedly someone once saw it somewhere. In other words, there is no reliable data. Potentially, it can enter there through the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea and from the Indian Ocean. However, white sharks clearly prefer temperate waters to warm tropical waters, so divers should not worry too much about this. At the same time, one of the attacks described below in the Red Sea is very similar in “handwriting” to the attack of a great white.

The script of Steven Spielberg's blockbuster "Jaws" is real: a man-eating shark attacked a tourist

Anna de LILLE

This happened off the coast of the popular Egyptian resort of Hurghada. An Austrian tourist snorkeling suffered a serious leg injury after being attacked by a white shark. But she was lucky to be alive. After providing first aid, the young woman was sent home for treatment.

Seven years ago, a German tourist died as a result of a great white shark attack near Sharm el-Sheikh. The same fish seriously injured several other swimmers.

In March of the same year, a marine predator attacked a 52-year-old German tourist in the Egyptian resort of El Quseir, located 130 kilometers from Hurghada. A shark bit off a vacationer's leg. He died on the way to the hospital. Then this became the first case of a shark attack on a person in Egypt since 2010.

IN this year This is already the second attack by a predator on a person. Near the resort of Marsa al-Alam, a shark attacked a 20-year-old tourist from Austria. Fortunately, the girl escaped with injuries. After this, the coast near this resort was declared a closed zone for 48 hours.

By a strange coincidence, German-speaking tourists are most often the targets of shark attacks off the coast of Egypt. Citizens of Russia and Ukraine were also injured.

At one time, Egyptian media announced that sharks were being trained by Israeli intelligence services and sent to the shores of a neighboring country in order to harm Egypt’s thriving tourism. These accusations could not evoke anything from the “accused” except homeric laughter. But ordinary consumers of information in Arab countries were convinced that the Israeli military was acting in collusion with the sharks of Zionism.

Experts suggest that the increased interest of great white sharks in the Red Sea right now is due to the fact that not so long ago the carcasses of sick sheep were dumped into its waters from an unknown vessel. Who would refuse a free feeder? Some sharks, having refreshed themselves, swam back to Indian Ocean, but others thought it wasn’t so bad to live here.

According to Wikipedia, the great white shark, or Carcharodon, is one of the largest predatory fish on the ground. Females are larger than males and grow on average to 4.6-4.8 m in length, although sharks over 5 meters in length are occasionally found, and specimens over 6 m in length and weighing at least 1900 kg have historically been recorded. Life expectancy is estimated at approximately 70 years. The diet of adults consists mainly of small marine mammals; but they also hunt a variety of fish, seabirds and other animals. It is believed that this is the most dangerous species of shark for humans; it is the white shark that is credited with the majority of attacks on people.

In Peter Benchley's bestselling novel and Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Jaws, the white shark is depicted as a ferocious man-eater.

Most likely, of all sharks, whites pose the greatest danger to humans. The International Shark Attack File lists 139 cases of white shark attacks on humans from 1990 to 2011, of which 29 were fatal.

Despite the attacks, humans are not the shark's ultimate target. Many incidents involve sharks biting a person trying to figure out what it is. They also bite buoys, surfboards and other floating objects. In addition, sharks can confuse the silhouette of a swimmer or surfer floating on a board with the silhouette of their usual prey - a pinniped or turtle. Many attacks occur in conditions of poor visibility or other circumstances that impair the shark's perception.

According to another hypothesis, the percentage of survivors after a white shark attack is so high because after the first attack, people manage to escape by driving the shark away from them. In particular, it was noted that single divers who are attacked by sharks, as a rule, are at least partially eaten, while divers diving with partners are usually saved. It was emphasized that the standard behavior of a shark when attacking involves it wounding the victim and waiting for it to weaken before eating the wounded animal. A person, with the help of other people, can leave the reach of a predator. Human death usually occurs from loss of blood after the first attack.

Occasionally, white sharks attack small boats and even sink them. Five of the 108 confirmed unprovoked attacks along the Pacific coast in the 20th century involved kayaks. In rare cases, sharks have attacked ships up to 10 m long. As a rule, the impact falls on the stern. It can be so strong that people can fall overboard.

One day in 1936, a white shark jumped aboard the South African fishing boat Lucky Jim, pushing a crew member into the water. It has been suggested that such attacks are caused by the electric field generated by the ship.

I was unable to find reports of white sharks appearing in the Gulf of Eilat. But that's enough dangerous sharks Makos sometimes swim to the Israeli shores.

Often, crowds of sharks, including quite large ones, are seen in the area of ​​power plants off the Mediterranean coast, for example, in Hadera or Ashdod, where they are attracted heat water. Experts warn surfers and scuba divers who want to thrill themselves in these areas that sharks don't like to joke. But can warnings stop these risky guys and girls?

Despite its reputation as dangerous and bloodthirsty predators, sharks very rarely attack people.

Every year, dozens of people around the world are attacked by sharks, while sharks do not kill people so often: facts state that only 5-7% of cases are fatal.

Which sharks are deadly to humans?

Of the 550 species of sharks, only 25 have been implicated in attacks on humans and vehicles on the water, and only 4 species of all shark species actually pose a serious danger to people.

Watch video - Egyptian tip shark attacks a diver:

Sharks living in the Red Sea

What sharks live in the Red Sea and what species pose a real threat to people?

Blacktip reef shark

The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) prefers shallow water, but is also found at a depth of 70-100 meters. This type of shark is usually small in size and weight: 1-1.5 meters and 50-70 kg.

But it has the habit of grabbing swimmers by the fins or legs out of pure curiosity, without causing serious harm to a person’s health.

And reef sharks differ from blacktip sharks only in weight, size and the fact that they descend to great depths from 200 to 300 meters deep into the Red Sea.

Reef sharks can bite.

The menu of these sharks living in the warm sea consists of squid, crabs and small lobsters, octopuses, in addition, reef sharks have been observed in cannibalism, that is, eating their own kind, weaker and smaller sharks.

Tiger shark

(Galeocerdo cuvier) - one of the most dangerous sharks for humans lives in the waters of the Red Sea at great depths, but also goes hunting in shallow waters, hiding in the reefs, especially at night.

Tiger shark attacks on swimmers are recorded every year. Unfortunately, deaths are not uncommon in such cases.

The only thing that saves you from more attacks is the fact that tiger sharks prefer muddy water and night hunting, and during the daytime they live at great depths of seas and oceans.

Hammerhead shark

It is one of the most ancient fish that still lives in tropical seas, including the waters of the Red Sea.

The appearance of these sharks is terrifying: a flat snout has the shape of a hammer, huge eyes,... The size of the predator ranges from 3 to 7 meters, and its weight reaches 300-350 kg.

The hammerhead shark develops high speed, has a large coverage of the space explored around it due to the unusual structure of its head, has maneuverability and is very aggressive, including towards humans. It is among the ten most dangerous sharks.

Whale shark

(Rhincodon typus) is rare, but visits the waters of the Red Sea. This is the most close-up view sharks, some specimens of which are up to 20 meters in length, are dangerous to people only in an accidental collision.

As a rule, it does not hunt it, feeding on plankton.

Watch video - Shark attacks in the Red Sea on divers and swimmers:

General conclusions on shark attacks

Shark attacks in the Red Sea typically involve divers and recreational swimmers trying to get too close to the sharks, provoking the predators to attack.

The appearance of a person during a shark hunt is also dangerous - at such moments the predator will often attack a stranger, defending its grounds.

Collisions with sharks at great depths are especially risky for people - the difficulty of providing first aid and loss of consciousness from hemorrhage often lead to death.