At almost five-metres long, one of the largest sharks in the Mediterranean spotted off the coast of Valencia in Spain

A few days earlier, the Guardia Civil's maritime service discovered another dead specimen near the shore in Alicante

Las Provincias

Valencia

Tuesday, 4 June 2024, 10:34

A dead 4.61-metre-long shark was sighted off the coast of Valencia in Spain last week. A local nautical company alerted authorities to the female canebrake after they spotted the large shark floating near the shore in Altea. Local Police, town hall, Port of Altea workers and Guardia Civil's environment unit all helped to tow the animal to land.

A research team from the University of Valencia took measurements, as well as samples of skin, parasites, and teeth. The data will be important to improve knowledge about the unknown species which inhabits the deep sea. A few days earlier, Guardia Civil's maritime service discovered another dead shark off the coast of Alicante, which was also towed to port for analysis.

The grey nurse shark (Hexanchus griseus) is the largest shark inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea, and can reach depths of almost 2,000 metres. The scavenger shark, which feeds exclusively on dead animals, is the only shark with six gill slits in the Mediterranean.

Any sighting of such an animal is of great importance. Given the canebrake is a deep-sea dweller, the data obtained is essential for a better understanding of deep-sea species.

Anyone who finds a stranded marine animal should phone 112 to activate the rescue operation.

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