Cristina Hodgson
THE sighting of a mako shark of about two metres in length has caused the Cadiz beach of Zahara de los Atunes to be closed off for over an hour.
The shorfin mako can reach a size of four metres (13 ft) in length, a species classified as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and inhabits offshore temperate and tropical seas worldwide.
According to official sources, the sighting took place when the lifeguards, who were patrolling the area on jet skis, observed movement of a large species in the water.
On identifying that the creature lurking below the blue depths was a mako shark, the lifeguards triggered the alarm, causing an immediate ban on swimming in the area.
The mako is considered a very dangerous shark, having precedents for attacking humans without pre-warning and for no apparent reason.
However an attack by a Mako shark in Andalucian waters is very rare.
The sighting took place this Monday around 15:30. The beach remained closed until after 17:00.
Proteccion Civil is monitoring the area to check that the shark has left the beach area and has swum back into deeper waters.
This is not the first sighting of a shark off Andalucian waters in recent weeks, a beached shark was rescued by bathers on Spain’s Costa del Sol and a huge eight-metre shark was spotted just 400 metres from the Mamola coastline.
Shark experts believe that the lack of movement and noise pollution from boats and jet skies in the sea because of lockdown has led to animals swimming closer to the shore.
