A small population of white sharks identified in the Strait of Sicily: it must now be preserved (because it is highly at risk)

A team of scientists led by the Italian Francesco Ferretti and composed of researchers from Virginia Tech and the University of Oregon has identified a small population of white sharks in the Sicilian Channelone of the areas most at risk for this species in the Mediterranean.

The results of the research, published in the journal Frontiers of Marine Scienceaim to raise awareness and develop strategies conservation for these predators, whose numbers are drastically decreasing as we had already sadly documented.

In the Mediterranean, the great white shark it is rare and difficult to observenot being able to count on aggregations of seals, typical of other breeding areas such as the coasts of California. In this sea, in fact, predators they feed mainly on tuna and smaller fishadapting to an environment less rich in resources than the oceans.

Taylor Chapple, one of the authors of the study, observed how this alternative diet allows Mediterranean sharks to grow to a considerable sizedespite the absence of fattier food such as seals.

The aim is to protect these species by creating “nursery” for baby sharks

To conduct the study, the researchers arranged several shipments between 2021 and 2023crossing waters between Marsala, Lampedusa, Pantelleria and up to Malta and the North African coast. Using advanced tracking technologies such as environmental DNA (eDNA) and baited underwater camerasmanaged to detect tracks of white sharks on five occasions.

Although direct observation of sharks has been rare, the evidence of their presence suggests the existence of a potentially crucial habitat in the Sicilian Channel, where fishing activities they already put this fragile population at risk.

The initiative of Ferretti and his team is only the beginning of a larger project: the group hopes to raise funds for future explorations in the Mediterranean, where other strategic areas may exist, such as “nursery” for baby sharks.

The goal is to develop a monitoring plan permanent that guarantees the survival of these predators in their habitat. Without targeted intervention, the species’ future remains uncertain, and the study highlights the need for innovative conservation measures.

The first expeditions made it possible to collect crucial information for the next steps, identifying the most promising areas to monitor and protect this species. The team intends to recalibrate the strategies to adapt them to the reality of the Mediterranean, contributing to the understanding of the ecology of white sharks in this sea, so different from the oceans where they usually thrive.