Other seasonal visitors include the blue shark and shortfin mako. The smooth hammerhead and frilled shark have both been known to very occasionally visit British waters. Some of these far rarer sharks can be dangerous to humans, however, there have been no unprovoked shark bites in British waters since records began in Log In. Contact us Sign up for newsletters. Log In Register now My account.
However, the more surprising sharks in the UK tend to be found further north. One of the most remarkable sharks in Scotland is the incredible basking shark, the second largest fish in the world. It grows up to 12 metres and can weigh a staggering nine tonnes. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Is the UK coast even the right environment for white sharks to live in? More about Sharks Great white shark ocean Atlantic. Three variants of the species — all exhibiting the enigmatic, scythe-like tail — and all have been heavily hunted.
The thresher is far from common in UK waters, but it has been known to dramatically announce its presence as such: in a large thresher shark was photographed spectacularly breaching off the coast of Devon. A summer visitor to the western coastlines of the United Kingdom, this enormous shark is hardly subtle — and if such a measure existed would comfortably be the easiest British shark to spot from the shore.
Perhaps not surprisingly then, the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus was once hunted heavily off the coast of Scotland and Ireland , where its presence was betrayed by its habit of feeding at a leisurely pace near the surface, exposing a distinctive dorsal fin that made it fatally easy to chase down.
Divers observe two basking sharks off the coast of Mull, Scotland. Usually portrayed with their huge mouths agape, these colossal filter-feeding fish can reach eight metres in length — and are a draw to divers when cruising offshore. Despite its intimidating size and silhouette, the basking shark is a filter feeder, using its gaping mouth and gills to sieve plankton — and like its larger, tropical counterpart the whale shark poses little threat to humans other than a fright.
Like the porbeagle, another mackerel shark is the speedy and fearsome shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus. Related: Mako sharks get new protections - get the facts. Its qualities as a predator have also made it the target of another over the years; persecution has made both the shortfin and longfin mako endangered according to the IUCN red list. Recent protections have restricted trade — but sport fishing continues.
Flattened, with a diamond-shaped body and eyes on top of its head, the angelshark Squatina squatina has an appearance seems to bridge the gap between sharks and their cartilaginous relatives the rays. An ambush predator, the shark — which can reach 2. The bottom-dwelling angelshark is today much rarer in British waters than even a few decades ago.
Heavy commercial fishing and bottom trawling have decimated the species. Due to their propensity to be caught by the controversial practice of seafloor trawling , angelshark populations have been decimated by fishing as a bycatch — despite having no commercial value.
Squatina squatina is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN red list , and is possibly extinct off the east coastline of the UK. A slow-growing shark which reaches reproductive age between years, any population recovery will be slow.
Sleek with huge eyes and a long snout, the blue shark Prionace glauca is a migratory species found worldwide. Its eponymous colouration is — like many sharks — one of its principal weapons for stealthy predation. It exhibits 'countershading' , wherein its topside is a dark blue grading to an underside that is almost white. This is a camouflage trick that makes the shark seem to work with the complex light and shade of the sea to remain discreet to prey from almost every angle.
Instantly recognisable due to its long snout and distinctive visage, the blue shark is an elegant seasonal visitor frequently found — like this individual — off the coast of Cornwall.
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