August the 26th, 2025 – Alleged footage of great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in Croatian waters has sparked an array of reactions. Experts however are saying there’s no reason for any panic.
Climate change is altering the world’s ecosystem, and the seas are the ideal place to watch it unfold. Species that were once confined to warmer seas in distant parts of the world have been showing up in the most unexpected of places, and in historically far colder waters.
Tourists have been warned not to enter the sea in the wider Costa Blanca area of Spain because of the arrival of the dangerous blue dragons. These bizarre and rare marine creatures which belong to the sea slug family pack a potential fatal sting. Their arrival along the Spanish coastline is new.
Such stories are becoming more and more frequent as time goes on, and alleged footage of great white sharks in Croatian waters has rather understandably resulted in panic. How real is this footage, however, and is there any need to be concerned?
As Morski writes, Professor Jelena Basta is the president and one of the founders of the “Blue World/Plavi svijet” Institute, which has been engaged in marine research and protection for 25 years now.
It is thanks to many years of research that the Cres-Lošinj aquatorium has the status of a protected area within the European Natura 2000 network, while injured sea turtles are rescued and rehabilitated before being released back into the wild at the Lošinj shelter.
While in conversation with Radio Rijeka, she addressed the need for better education and a raising of the level of public awareness, touching on the increasingly frequent changes in Croatia’s marine ecosystem brought about by climate change.
Referring to what is apparently fake footage of great white sharks in Croatian waters, she said that people should not be afraid of the sea, but should return to it as often as they can and observe the abundance of life in it.
“When you’re swimming, really look around and see what lives in the sea… Don’t use the sea just as a refreshment, but experience it,” she said.
are there actually great white sharks in croatian waters?
Croatia is home to an array of species of shark, the majority of which pose no danger to humans. In fact, around 40 different shark species call Croatia home! Your chances of bumping into one however are rare.
Potentially dangerous sharks who live in Croatian waters include the shortfin mako shark, meetings are extremely rare, and attacks are almost without precedent. The last fatal attack occurred in the waters surrounding Omis back in 1974.
Great white sharks are present transiently in Croatian waters, but they steer very clear from any kind of human activity, limiting the majority of their activities to deeper water. Their populations in Croatia have been declining, and they do not use the country’s coast as a primary habitat.
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