Are there sharks in Lazarevskoe? White sharks swim into the black sea. Sharks in the White and Barents Seas

This question is now of interest to many people who are planning to relax on the Black Sea. Especially after the latest tragic events that occurred both at foreign resorts and in our country in Far East. Sharks are attacking vacationers more and more often, maiming and killing people. So are there these terrible predators in our Black Sea? Should we be wary of them on vacation? To answer this question, you must first turn to the history of the emergence of the sea.

The Black Sea is already millions of years old, during which time it was connected with other seas - the Caspian and Aral Sea. Geophysicists claim that once upon a time there was a huge ocean called Tethys, in the depths of which there were many different species. sea ​​creatures both single-celled and huge sea ​​monsters. Twenty million years ago it was formed big lake, this was the Black Sea. The water in it was very fresh, since it was in no way connected with the ocean. But later a strong earthquake occurred, as a result of which it connected with the Bosphorus Strait and the strait with interesting name Dardanelles. The water in this lake suddenly became very salty and all its inhabitants, who were not adapted to such conditions, died. So, it is believed that it was at this very time that hydrogen sulfide appeared in the Black Sea, and organic deposits from the remains of animals and flora who died during this period.

This very sea - the lake has become completely dead, unsuitable for the existence of any life. But still, one type of bacteria was able to survive in it - anaerobic sulfur bacteria. This is how our Black Sea appeared, the area of ​​which at that time was more than 400 thousand square kilometers, and its depth was more than 2 thousand meters. The water in this sea was several times fresher than in the Mediterranean, since the narrow straits connecting them could not provide it with enough salt water from the ocean. And it is so essential for the life of marine life.

Now we can, based on the above, answer this question. The most important condition due to which sharks cannot spread in the Black Sea is slightly salted water. Of course, theoretically they can swim from Mediterranean Sea, but it’s so far away that they’re unlikely to want to swim here, and the water isn’t too tasty for these toothy monsters. Since they are always in search of food, and they eat a lot, and they need a solid food supply, our sea is not suitable for them, there is too little to profit from. After all, the Black Sea flora and fauna is poor enough to satisfy their appetite. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the appearance of a shark in our sea is more of a fantasy.

Although two sharks still live in the Black Sea. Katran shark and cat shark. You have already realized that these are absolutely not the predators that we are so afraid of. The first species of shark is native to the Black Sea, and the second species is native to the Mediterranean. Naturally, they are not so dangerous for humans, although they have teeth, they do not rush at people. However, for example, katran poses a threat to human health. The fact is that the katran shark has a spike, with strong jagged edges on the fin, with which it can seriously injure a person, and at the site of the injection of this fin it quickly develops inflammatory process. But the bite itself occurs if the katran is greatly disturbed. It is necessary to consult a doctor immediately after a bite to provide effective assistance.

Well, now you and I know that there are no sharks in the Black Sea, and we will tell you about other dangerous inhabitants in one of our next articles. Thank you for your attention!

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The Black Sea, according to scientists, was formed from a fresh lake that existed eight thousand years ago in its place. The freshwater fauna that lived here before died out due to increased salinity of the water, as a result of which the lower layers of the sea (below two hundred meters) are extremely saturated with hydrogen sulfide, which is a product of its decomposition.

Therefore, there are significantly fewer animal species living in the Black Sea than in the Mediterranean. Sharks are found in the Black Sea, but there are relatively few of them, and only one species. This is a dogfish shark.

a brief description of

The dogfish shark has a streamlined shape characteristic of all sharks. Her diet includes exclusively fish. The Black Sea shark is small in size: from a meter to two or a little more, and its body weight is no more than twenty-five kilograms. Although in equatorial waters sharks of this size (albeit of other species) are not at all averse to snacking on a member of the homo sapiens family, the katran is famous for its peacefulness. Nowhere in the world (and katran sharks are widespread almost everywhere, even in Australia) has not a single case of a katran shark attacking a person been recorded. Rather, a careless swimmer may injure himself on the hard fins or skin of this predator. Katranas are viviparous, and “in one sitting” the female can bring up to thirty fry.

Sharks in the Black Sea as an object of culinary ambition

If Katrans do not eat people, then people love to feast on the meat of this predator. The meat is used to make canned food or balyk, and the fins are used to cook very tasty soup. Shark entrails have also been used.

From the liver, which has a mass of up to a third (!) of total mass bodies, produce fat, which is high in vitamins A and E. Tails and heads are used to prepare glue.

Still, they must be handled with care.

It is not the teeth that you should be afraid of, but the thorns of the katran. The spines located on the back are covered with poisonous mucus, and if pricked, they can cause a very painful swelling that heals very slowly. However, the usual beach holidaymaker this is unlikely to happen. Rather, those who engage in extreme diving should be wary, and dangerous animals of the sea are his usual partners for posing in front of the camera. Or for amateur fishermen who decided to catch an exotic delicacy.

Prospects for katran

Sharks appeared in the Black Sea seven and a half to eight thousand years ago, when the ancient freshwater lake, after the breakthrough of the Bosphorus Isthmus, connected with the world ocean. Sometimes (extremely rarely) sharks of other species swim here, but they are rather an exception, a phenomenon not typical for the Black Sea. Thus, katrans remain the top link of the food chain in the Black Sea ecosystem. This situation has existed for many thousands of years, and ecologists see no reason for it to change. Rather, marine life (and not just sharks) should be wary of sea pollution due to increased human activity. The Black Sea is perhaps the dirtiest in the world, since its coast has been densely populated since ancient times, and polluted waters from the depths of Europe flow into the sea through rivers. Environmentalists note that in last quarter last century, the population of dolphins and katrans in the Black Sea decreased several times. And it is possible that in the future a conversation on the topic of “sharks in the Black Sea” will be possible only on the pages of zoology textbooks.

Many lovers of sea holidays who are going on vacation to the Black Sea for the first time ask themselves the question - are there sharks in the Black Sea? The answer to this burning question can be given by local residents coastal villages, and people who are more knowledgeable in this matter are oceanographers. And their opinions agree - there are two types of sharks in the Black Sea.

What kind of sharks are in the Black Sea?

This is a Katran shark, which has a length of one to two meters, but this is rather rare, generally its length does not exceed one and a half meters. The scyllium cat shark has a small length, no more than one meter, and is completely harmless. Cat sharks are even kept in large home aquariums.

Throughout history, there has never been a mention of a shark attack on a person in the Black Sea. These, although they are predators in their environment, are very tolerant and loyal to human proximity, without showing signs of aggression. When spearfishing, even a wounded fish, instead of attacking, tries to hide from its pursuer.

A Black Sea shark can injure a person only if it is caught on a hook. At the moment when the fisherman tries to remove the hook from the shark’s mouth, it resists very actively and can injure him with its sharp fins. Katranas are known for their survivability. Even after some time out of the water, when you are close to this shark, you need to take precautions, because it is not for nothing that the katran is also called the spiny shark.

During the day, when there are many vacationers at sea, sharks stick to the bottom, although they are not far from the shore. They rise to the surface when the sun has already set. Black Sea sharks feed mainly on fish (flounder, horse mackerel, sardine) and crustaceans. Cooking for vacationers Black Sea coast delicacy - balyk from katran. It tastes like meat sturgeon fish and is very tasty.

So you don’t have to be afraid to meet man-eating sharks in the Black Sea when planning to visit the coast. Vacationers will not encounter bloodthirsty jaws from a horror movie here. But you shouldn’t relax completely, because in addition to sharks, the waters of the Black Sea may lurk, although not fatal, but still dangerous.

Those who like to catch crabs should be careful, because having met this representative of crustaceans, a gaping diver may get acquainted with its claws. The fish, which has the cute name “sea dragon,” is not so cute and harmless. The tips of its upper fins are poisonous, and getting pricked by them can cause trouble. The spines of scorpionfish, which like to rest buried in the coastal sand, can injure the leg. Some types of jellyfish are also poisonous, and contact with them can cause illness.

But these troubles do not happen often if you take precautions. Don't cancel your trip to the sea because of this. After all, even when relaxing on the river bank, you cannot be sure that you will not meet here with poisonous snake or a swarm of wild bees.

There is a theoretical possibility of the penetration of predatory killer sharks from the Mediterranean Sea. They could swim through the Bosphorus Bay into the Black Sea, but... But it doesn’t fit big sharks salt content in the Black Sea. Compared to the Mediterranean, it is much fresher. So a comfortable existence in these waters for dangerous sharks will not work.

And Mediterranean sharks will not be able to breed their offspring here - the same low salinity of the water will not allow the eggs to develop and they will inevitably die. Large temperature changes in winter and summer time they also do not give thermophilic sharks a chance to settle in the Black Sea.

We hope that we were able to answer the question of whether there are sharks in the Black Sea, and you no longer need to worry about your health.

This is exactly the question that all those who are planning to relax on its shores ask themselves. We constantly hear horrific news about these predators attacking people, so we can't help but think about it because we worry about own life and for your relatives. And it would be right to show interest before the trip and find out more about whether there are sharks in the Black Sea.

Of course, there is no need to panic, since it is not for nothing that this sea is considered one of the most attractive for tourists. If it were so dangerous, then people would simply not choose this route. However, we know that this is not the case. Every year thousands of vacationers flood these places.

But if you are worried about whether there are sharks in the Black Sea and whether it would be dangerous to take your family with you, then you need to first turn to history. This reservoir is more than a million years old. According to scientists, it first formed as a lake that separated from the vast ocean of Tethys. Last inhabited a large number of sea ​​inhabitants, including predators. Then there was a total earthquake, as a result of which the Black Sea was filled with sulfur and became unsuitable for any underwater life. During this period, all aquatic inhabitants died. And such an environment has become the most suitable only for the existence of animals that actively reproduce there today. And only thousands of years later, other, more complex forms of life appeared in the fauna of the sea.

So are there sharks in the Black Sea? The answer will be told to us by the results of scientific research and history itself. Many people are sure that these predators are not there. However, do not forget that the Black Sea is directly connected to the Mediterranean, where they are found. Therefore, to date, researchers have already discovered two types of sharks that are its stable residents. Here is some information about them that directly clears up the dilemma of whether there are sharks in the Black Sea. Yes, they are. The first of them is katran, a small prickly one. It does not pose any threat to human life and behaves quite peacefully at sea. It poses danger only when it sharply touches human body, since its thorns can cause wounds. The mucus that covers the predator’s body is also dangerous, as it has toxic secretions. Therefore, you should be very careful with this shark and avoid touching it. And if this happens, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Another inhabitant of the bottom of the Black Sea is the scylium shark, or cat shark. She is not considered a permanent resident of these waters, but rather a "tourist". Its static location is the Mediterranean Sea. It, like the katran, is small in size, so it does not pose a threat to life. Scylium is very attractive to chefs who willingly use it in preparing delicious food. In general, it lives quite peacefully in its marine territory and does not interfere with vacationers. Moreover, it is not so often seen here, in most cases during mass events of this type.

So are there sharks in the Black Sea? We can say that there are, but still these are not the standard predators that we are used to seeing on TV in various educational programs. Black Sea sharks- These are small-sized fish, completely incapable of attacking humans, they do not pose a danger to people.