On Friday, a massive dorsal fin shadow caused excitement at Ashdod beach. For safety reasons, swimmers at the popular Beach 11 section were immediately evacuated from the water. The fear that it might be a dangerous shark was quickly dispelled: experts confirmed it was a whale shark – the world’s largest fish species, completely harmless to humans.
First documented sighting in Israel
Dr Aviad Scheinin from the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station at the University of Haifa examined footage from the beach surveillance team and confirmed the extraordinary sighting. “This is the first documented sighting of a whale shark off Israel’s Mediterranean coast and only the third confirmed sighting in the entire Mediterranean,” he explained. Previously, there had only been two sightings: in 2021 off the Turkish coast and in December 2022 in a tuna net near Ceuta in North Africa.
The Ashdod city authorities immediately activated their “shark protocol”: the beach section was closed, warning signs were posted, and searches were conducted to ensure the safety of swimmers. However, the whale shark moved on peacefully, showing no signs of stress or danger. Experts believe it entered the eastern Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
Giant of the oceans
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) can grow to 12–14 metres in length and live over 100 years. Despite their impressive size, they feed exclusively on plankton, small fish, and tiny crustaceans, which they filter-feed. The species is classified as endangered by the IUCN.
Although whale sharks have occasionally been spotted in the Red Sea near Eilat, their appearance off Israel’s Mediterranean coast is of particular scientific significance. The species was first described in 1828 after an individual was harpooned in South Africa. In 1849, British military physician and zoologist Andrew Smith officially documented the species. It owes its name to its whale-like size and similar filter-feeding behaviour.
For beachgoers, the sighting means no cause for concern but a historic event that impressively highlights the uniqueness and diversity of marine life off Israel’s coast.
