On Friday, a huge dorsal fin shadow caused a stir on the beach of Ashdod. For safety reasons, swimmers at the popular Beach 11 section were immediately taken out of the water. The fear that it could be a dangerous shark quickly proved unfounded: experts confirmed that it was a whale shark – the largest fish species in the world, 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 the footage from the beach surveillance team and confirmed the extraordinary observation. “This is the first documented sighting of a whale shark on Israel’s Mediterranean coast and only the third confirmed 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 municipality immediately activated its “shark protocol”: the beach section was closed, marked with warning signs, and searched to ensure the safety of swimmers. However, the whale shark peacefully continued on its way, showing no signs of stress or danger. Experts assume that it reached the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
Giant of the Oceans
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) can grow 12 to 14 meters long and live over 100 years. Despite their impressive size, they feed exclusively on plankton, small fish, and tiny crustaceans, which they filter from the water. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species is considered endangered.
Although whale sharks have occasionally been sighted in the Red Sea near Eilat, their appearance on Israel’s Mediterranean coast is of particular scientific significance. The species was first described in 1828 after a specimen was harpooned in South Africa. In 1849, the British military doctor and zoologist Andrew Smith officially documented the species. Its name derives from its whale-like size and its similar filter-feeding method.
For swimmers, the sighting means: no cause for concern, but a historic event that impressively highlights the uniqueness and diversity of the marine world off Israel’s coast.
