In recent years, reports of increased shark sightings in many countries around the world have attracted attention. With the start of the sea season, such encounters both arouse curiosity and sometimes cause concern. Shark incidents, frequently reported in the USA, Australia, and Mediterranean coastal countries, have also begun to be observed along Turkey’s coasts in recent years.
In this context, a video shared recently on social media platforms, especially Instagram and X, became a trending topic. The footage is claimed to have been taken at İçmeler Beach in the Urla district of İzmir. According to the claims in the posts, citizens fishing near the shore encountered a shark estimated to be about two meters long.
The shark, reportedly seen very close to the shore, allegedly caused a brief panic in the area. Videos circulating on social media show the shark swimming about 4 meters from the shore before disappearing from view. A citizen who thought they saw a shark in the sea at İzmir Urla was overcome with excitement. "Come here, come, come..." Pic. Twitter.
Com/xJ8UAOP4Rn— İzmir (@izmir) June 6, 2026 ‘OUR SEAS ARE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT REGIONS FOR SHARK DIVERSITY’Mersin University Marine Sciences Application and Research Center Director Prof. Dr. Deniz Ayas stated, "Regarding the recent Urla footage shared on social media, it is scientifically impossible to make a definitive species identification from short and low-resolution videos.
While the footage indicates a shark, clear views of fin structure, head shape, body proportions, and other morphological features are necessary to accurately identify the species," he said, adding, "However, our seas are among the important regions for shark diversity in the Mediterranean.
Many shark species naturally inhabit our country’s waters, especially the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Some species use coastal areas during certain life cycle stages, while others prefer open sea habitats. Therefore, occasional shark sightings near the shore should not be considered unusual.
"Similar footage was also reported last year. For example, sharks believed to be of the glass-eye species were seen near the shores of Antalya’s Konyaaltı Beach and Muğla’s Datça district. The video below is from Datça... Last year, moments that attracted public attention were recorded second by second on mobile phones. IS IT NORMAL TO SEE SHARKS NEAR THE SHORE? WHY HAS THE NUMBER INCREASED?
"Evaluations about increased shark sightings in Turkish seas have become more frequent in recent years. However, this cannot be explained by a single reason," said Prof. Dr. Deniz Ayas, adding, "Today, with the widespread use of mobile phones, drone systems, underwater cameras, and social media, many observations that were previously unrecorded are now shared instantly.
Therefore, part of the increase in sightings may be related more to improved observation and recording capabilities than to an actual ecological change," he said. Prof. Dr. Ayas also noted that environmental changes in marine ecosystems can affect shark distribution and movements.
He explained, "Many factors such as sea water temperature, current systems, prey distribution, and human activities shape shark habitats. Therefore, recent observations in different regions require considering both environmental changes and increased observation capacity together."
Photos: İHACRITICAL POINTS"Climate change can also cause significant changes in marine ecosystems. Changes in sea water temperatures, current systems, and food webs may affect the distribution areas and seasonal movements of some species," said Prof. Dr.
Deniz Ayas, adding, "Therefore, it is possible to observe some shark species in different regions or periods compared to previous years. However, linking a specific observation directly to climate change requires long-term and systematic scientific data."
Besides all this, Prof. Dr. Ayas emphasized that overfishing activities can affect the distribution and abundance of some prey species, which in turn can alter the movement patterns of top predators. However, it is not accurate to explain nearshore sightings solely by food scarcity.
"Reproductive behaviors, nursery areas, seasonal movements, water temperature, and prey distribution should all be evaluated together," he said. WHICH SHARK SPECIES ARE FOUND IN OUR COUNTRY? Prof. Dr. Deniz Ayas also provided information about shark species living in Turkish territorial waters, stating that many species inhabit our seas. Prof. Dr.
Ayas said, "Although many shark species are found in our territorial waters, at least eight large species have feeding, breeding, and nursery areas within Turkish waters. Shortfin mako, dusky shark, sand shark, sharpnose sevengill, bluntnose sevengill, hammerhead shark, and blue shark are among the prominent species." WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEEING THESE LARGE SPECIES NEAR THE SHORE? Prof. Dr.
Deniz Ayas issued an important warning on this topic: "Generally, these species carry out their feeding activities in the central parts of the Mediterranean because their food sources are mostly in open seas. However, ongoing overfishing activities throughout the region, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, and intensive exploitation of some populations may force these shark species to approach the shore in search of food.
Follow our news on Google Add us to your favorites to instantly access the latest news and breaking developments on Google. Add us as a preferred source on Google -- However, over the last 50 years, many shark species in the Mediterranean have experienced significant population declines, and some species face the risk of regional extinction.
Therefore, the main discussion today is not how close sharks come to the shore, but whether these species can continue to exist in our seas in the future. ‘SHARK ATTACK ATTEMPTS HAVE OCCURRED RARELY IN OUR COUNTRY’Prof. Dr. Deniz Ayas noted that shark attacks are extremely rare in Turkey but some past incidents have occurred. Prof. Dr.
Ayas said, "Although very rare, provoked shark attacks have occurred in our country. For example, sand sharks attacked the fins of several divers in an environment containing stimulants like blood and mucus. However, no diver was injured in this incident."
The expert emphasized that these attacks were not fatal, stating, "There is no recorded death case in our country," pointing out that public concerns should not be exaggerated. Quoted Text Don’t Miss Trump overwhelmed by war…
