A shark sighting off the coast of Montenegro has sparked widespread discussion online after claims emerged that the animal was a great white shark. Marine experts, however, believe the shark is more likely to be a shortfin mako, a species commonly found in the Adriatic Sea.
The sighting was reportedly made near the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, where the large shark prompted speculation on social media because of its size and appearance. While some people identified it as a great white, specialists say the available evidence suggests otherwise.
Ilija Ćetković of Montenegro’s Institute of Marine Biology said the shark most likely belongs to the shortfin mako species, which is frequently mistaken for a great white due to its similar shape and size.
According to Ćetković, encounters with mako sharks in this part of the Adriatic are not uncommon and have been recorded almost every year.
The shortfin mako is among the largest shark species living in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. It can grow to around 15 feet in length and weigh more than 1,100 pounds. The species is known for its streamlined body, pointed snout and remarkable speed, reaching more than 40 miles per hour.
Mako sharks usually feed on tuna, mackerel, swordfish and other fish found in open waters. Although they are considered one of the few shark species in the Adriatic that could potentially be dangerous, attacks on humans are extremely rare.
Scientists say the species faces a much greater threat from overfishing than humans face from the shark. The shortfin mako is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of decades of commercial fishing for its meat and fins.
The sighting comes only weeks after a great white shark was recorded off the coast of Sicily, while authorities in Croatia also recently confirmed that a shark caught near Rogoznica was a juvenile great white.
