Description: War Thunder is a next generation military MMO game dedicated to...
The victims of modern cinema are often too well aware of the dangers lurking in the environment. They also know that careless swimmers easily become victims of terrible shark jaws. Knowledge in geography is enough to understand that most of the heartbreaking maritime tragedies occur on the shores of the Pacific atolls, but not all. And they ask a burning question: are there sharks in the Black Sea, are they found there, and is it safe in terms of jaws to rest in Crimean resorts? Let's try to figure it out.
Fastidious Cannibals
If you answer the question about the Black Sea sharks unequivocally, the answer is simple - they exist. But the real situation is more complicated. "Shark" is a general concept, a group of several hundred species. All of them are predatory, but differ greatly in size, habitat, behavior and food preferences. They live in all seas and oceans, but are very demanding on environmental conditions (temperature and salinity of water, quantity and variety of food, bottom relief). Varieties that are common in some regions are not found in others.
From the point of view of a shark, the main features of the Black Sea are low salinity, intense annoying navigation, insufficient number of fish and animals, low temperature(this is warm compared to White, but not compared to Red). It is also important that it is inconvenient to get there from other regions: the Black Sea straits clogged with ships are not the best place for a shark ride. That's why big variety Predators near the coasts of Crimea are ruled out in principle.
It is also interesting that sharks do not consider people as a priority food for an objective reason - the latter are alien to water environment. Predators eat swimmers when there is no more suitable prey nearby and only on condition that they resemble their usual food in size. As a rule, divers confuse sharks with seals. Are there many species in the Black Sea that are comparable in appearance to humans? Are there many seals and sea lions in it?
Types of sharks that are found in the Black Sea
But still, the answer to the question of whether sharks are found in the Black Sea is positive. The katrans live in it. They are quite numerous, feed on fish, live in flocks, their the average size- a little more than 1 m, two-meter individuals are a rarity. It is clear that such individuals are not able to kill a person.
Outwardly, the katran shark looks like a smaller copy of its dangerous cousins - white and blue. Because of this, it is sometimes used in filming "in the roles" of predators (shooting with magnification). 
« finest hour» Katrans - the scene of the shark attack on Gutierre in .
Qatrans will not be able to seriously harm human health. But on their skin and in the fins there are sharp poisonous spikes that can cause painful injuries. They are also capable of biting. For life, such injuries are not dangerous, but they will cause trouble. But such accidents often happen with fishermen who catch sharks or catch a katran by accident. They will not attack bathers on the beaches.
Katran is the only shark type permanently living in the Black Sea. What other members of the group come across here? The traditional "guest" is the cat shark, or scilium. She swims out mediterranean sea through the straits in significant quantities, small - up to 1 m long, feeds on mollusks and various benthic invertebrates. Man for her is not prey, but a dangerous enemy.
Predators in Crimea: possible attacks
But sometimes, and with enviable regularity, sensations appear in dubious media: 
a man-eating shark swam into the Black Sea, it attacked those swimming on such and such.
Before you get scared by such news, it is better to turn to statistics and biology data. White, blue or tiger shark they will not go to the Black Sea - it is “lightly salted” for them. Even if we assume that one of these, having lost its orientation in space, made its way through the straits, it should be recognized that it will quickly turn back, faced with an unsuitable for normal life water.
The statistics are relentless: shark attacks on people off the coast of Taurida were not recorded at all. Never. The study of written sources for 500 years did not give a single convincing fact. Dangerous predators are not found. Dot!
Sharks are not only dangerous, but also delicious
Of course, cases of people meeting with a katran are not uncommon. Bathers or walkers also have them - fish prefer to stay near the bottom, but occasionally rise to the surface. 
But much more often, holidaymakers get acquainted with katrans or sciliums when the latter already smell appetizingly of smoke.
Yes, they are delicious! And the fishermen of Taurida regularly catch sciliums and katrans. They sell them to restaurants and cook smoked "balyki" from sharks, which taste like a similar product from sturgeon. The delicacy is constantly found among the tempting offers of the Crimean beach food vendors. If you agree on a smoked katran "custom-made", then there will be no risk of running into a stale product.
For a small fee, they can also arrange a demonstration shark hunting session with a master class for a tourist. Yes, this is quite a popular entertainment among vacationers, who, in principle, are a fishing rod fanatic.
It turns out interesting game words. For most visitors, the dilemma “are there sharks in the Black Sea” is transformed into the problem of “when and for how much it will be possible to eat them.” As a result, these Black Sea inhabitants have more reason to be afraid of tourists than those of them.
Densely populated countries are located on the Black Sea coast, fishing boats, cruise and transport liners plow the Black Sea, so its waters are very unattractive for sharks, moreover, many vacationers have never seen them in the Black Sea, so many people have quite legitimate questions:
In general, are there sharks in the Black Sea?
And if so, what species of sharks are found in the Black Sea?
Shark attacks in the Black Sea on people, do they happen?
There are two types of sharks in the Black Sea: the cat shark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and the spotted spiny shark or Black Sea katran (Squalus acanthias ponticus). These are sharks that live in the Black Sea, but are they really man-eating sharks? We will consider the features of the behavior of the Black Sea sharks and how not to fall into their mouths in this article.
The cat shark is a nocturnal predator.
Common cat shark (Scyliorhinus canicula) or the European cat shark, otherwise called the sea dog or small-spotted cat shark. This is a bright representative of the cat shark family, the distribution area of \u200b\u200bwhich is the coast of the Mediterranean and Marmara Seas, as well as Atlantic coast Europe: from Norway to Senegal. That's enough for the Black Sea rare fish, which sometimes swims to us through the Bosphorus. Prefers sandy, muddy or gravel bottoms. Cat sharks are nocturnal predators that live at a depth of three to ten meters, sometimes they can be found at depths of one hundred to four hundred meters. They see well in the dark, setting up ambushes in thickets of grass or in crevices of rocks.
The length of the cat shark is sixty to seventy centimeters, very rarely there are individuals whose length reaches one meter. The weight of the fish is about two kilograms. The body of the cat shark is elongated, very flexible. In the back of the body are the dorsal fins; first dorsal fin more than a second. The tail fin is low. Back and sides of sea dog they are sandy in color with dark brown spots, the belly is light gray. The skin is rough. Males have larger teeth than females. The jaws of male sharks differ not only in size, but also in strength, which is explained by their diet and mating style. The European cat shark feeds on crabs, bivalve gastropods, annelids, and less often small fish.
The cat shark is an oviparous species of marine cartilaginous fish. Reproduction of Scyliorhinus canicula occurs all year round, but the female lays eggs only from November to July. The number of eggs depends on the age, weight and physical condition of the fish and can be different: from two to twenty pieces per clutch. Eggs of a quadrangular shape in a hard, translucent shell. At the corners of the egg there are strong horn threads, with the help of which it is securely attached to the bottom. The embryo in the egg develops for seven to eleven months, depending on the temperature conditions. The fry are born about twelve centimeters long.
The cat shark is not dangerous to humans. Because of its edible meat, it is sometimes caught by local anglers. However, according to confirmed scientific data, the population of the common shark (Scyliorhinus canicula) remains stable. Therefore, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has designated this species as Least Concern.
Black Sea katran.
Black Sea katran (Squalus acanthias ponticus)- this is sea fish, belonging to the family of katran sharks, which is a subspecies of the common katran. Females are larger than males. The total body length of females reaches one hundred and eighty centimeters, with a mass of about fifteen kilograms. The coloration is grayish-brown, the back is darker in color with a small amount of white spots on the sides. The belly is greyish-white or pure white. The spines on the dorsal fins are short. The length of the base of the second dorsal fin is equal to the length of the pelvic fins. The snout of the katran is slightly less than half the length of the head and has a pointed rostrum, which makes it look like a dog's head. From here came the second name of the katran - sea dog.
The katran shark in the Black Sea feeds on fish swimming in the water column. Black Sea katrans are distinguished by their voracity. The mouth opening of Squalus acanthias ponticus, located in the lower part of the head, has a cut typical for sharks - a crescent with ends curved downwards and backwards. The mouth contains several rows of sharp, small teeth. The hard skin is covered with small spikes, shaped like teeth. Usually katrans gather in flocks and swim in the lower layers of the water, closer to the bottom, only occasionally rising to the surface. In summer, the Black Sea katran goes to a depth of forty meters for whiting and sprats. In the autumn-spring period, when the water temperature drops to fifteen degrees Celsius, katrans hunt near the coast, and in winter they gather in flocks and go to a depth of one hundred and fifty meters, hunting horse mackerel and anchovy.
The distribution area of the Black Sea katran is the Black Sea and adjacent areas Kerch Strait, sometimes schools of these fish are found in the southern part of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The Black Sea katran is very delicious fish, from the meat of which a wonderful balyk is obtained, and fatty fins are used to prepare the world-famous soup, which is considered a delicacy. The liver of Squalus acanthias ponticus contains biologically active substances that have a therapeutic effect in some types of oncological diseases It also contains a large amount of vitamins and fat. The medicine that is made from the liver of a sea dog is called katreks. The Black Sea katran is a viviparous fish. During a lifetime, a female katran can give birth to up to fifteen fry.
Both types of sharks do not pose a threat to humans due to their natural caution and insufficient large sizes. However, a person, seeing a shark in the sea, may be frightened and take the wrong action, provoking a predatory marine animal to protect himself or his territory, and thereby creating a dangerous situation in which he himself may suffer. Most often, you can meet a shark during spearfishing or diving. A frightened scuba diver begins to make sudden movements, as a result of which the scuba tubes are damaged - there are many such cases. The cat shark itself or the Black Sea katran will never attack a person first, since people are not the food object of these sharks. For this reason, diving in the Black Sea is much safer than in the Mediterranean or the Red Sea.
Why do Black Sea sharks attack people?
One of the most common factors in the attack of sharks in the Black Sea on people is their excessive curiosity, characteristic of all predators: cats sniff and touch an unknown object with their paw, and the shark bites it. Canadian ichthyologists say man-eating sharks are more likely to attack men than women. According to their theory, men produce several times more stress hormones than women, and this is what attracts predators in the sea. According to scientists, a dressed person, once in the water, will attract significantly less attention from sharks than an undressed person. In addition, there are rules for the behavior of vacationers on the water, unless, of course, they want to run into a shark while diving, spearfishing, swimming or beach holiday, since in nine cases out of ten a shark attack is caused by a person who violated at least one of the following rules:
It is dangerous to swim in the sea with fresh scratches on the body and other unhealed wounds. It is also unsafe for ladies to enter the water on critical days. Blood that gets into the water will attract the shark, even if it is a long distance from the beach.
Do not swim in the evening and at night, as this is the time when predators are at their most active.
You can not swim in muddy water, because poor visibility for a person is the most suitable for shark hunting.
A bathing suit is better to choose a calm, dark color, without contrasting shades of a light palette or bright colors. Shiny jewelry should also not be worn before you go to the beach - sharks, who have poor eyesight, react sharply to shiny objects, as to light sources in the water.
You should not be in the water for a long time so that the marine predator does not take you for marine life, for example, for sea turtle which sharks love to eat.
Be careful in shallow water, some of dangerous predators can attack even near the seashore.
When choosing a place to swim, you should avoid those places that fishermen have chosen, as the smell of fresh fish can attract a small flock of sharks.
During scuba diving, in no case should you feed sharks, as predators that are within entertainment program received a treat from the hands of a person today, tomorrow they will sail to the beach in anticipation of the next portion.
Do not make noise while swimming and do not make very sudden movements in the water - this may attract the attention of a predator.
Interesting facts about sharks.
Double shark attack on a human.
The shark is last on the list of possible threats to humans. However, a double shark attack on the same person is known. The first time, attacking a swimmer from Australia, the predator bit off his leg, and the second time the prosthesis that replaced this leg was eaten! These events took place in 1967-1968.
Intrauterine cannibalism of sharks.
The most unusual phenomenon observed in some species of ovoviviparous sharks is intrauterine cannibalism or devouring embryos of each other. About 70% of sharks die in fierce battles for life right in the womb.
Place largest number shark attacks on humans.
The places where the highest number of shark attacks per person per year are documented are located on the beach in Florida - New Smyrna Beach.
Scientists have identified a system of signs in sharks that warn people of a possible attack. Predators use frightening movements for uninvited guests. This helps them control and protect their territory: sharks swimming at the very bottom look like sentinels who have come out to inspect their territory once again. Their powerful bodies move sharply from side to side, the movements of sharks are clear and fast, their mouths are ajar. The stay of a stranger in their territory is regarded as an invasion, so the shark patrol must attack him.
Today, in the light of recent events in the world, this article is quite relevant.
Are there sharks in the Black Sea?
AT recent times readers of this blog, and indeed users of the world wide web, often ask: are there sharks in the black sea? After all, the Black Sea is Crimea, Turkey, and the Caucasus.
Let's answer this question honestly: Sharks in the black sea found.
However, these are not dangerous creatures for humans. At least for those who do not rush at them themselves. :)
So, the predators of the Black Sea:
The main shark of the Black Sea is the Katran (or the Spiny Shark), also called the Sea Dog.
- This shark is harmless to humans, although it is worth noting that for fish it is a nightmare! A sea dog is such a predator that attacks fish, even if it is full itself. Its size is about a meter, this shark lives in the Black Sea, where it is colder and deeper, it almost does not approach the shore. Only it is dangerous to pick it up - there are poisonous spikes on its fins, which is why it was called Prickly. But we do not think that anyone other than fishermen will want to touch it with their hands. :)
The following types of sharks have appeared several times in the Black Sea:
- The feline is a small spotted shark. It was reported that she once swam into the Black Sea, but even if she had not been caught, this shark could not live here. One of the reasons is the high concentration of salt in the water.
- Hammerhead shark - it is not known for certain whether she actually swam.
- Swordfish - the same as the previous one.
So be calm - sharks in the Black Sea will not overtake you, although they live in it.
At the resorts of Egypt, they asked themselves the question: are the waters of the Black Sea safe for bathers and divers? Are there sharks at all in the Black Sea, and is it possible to meet them on the coasts of the Caucasus and Crimea?
In order to comprehensively answer this question and calm all sorts of anxieties, it is simply necessary to make an excursion, albeit a brief one, into the history of the emergence of the water area, which is now commonly called the Black Sea. 10 million years ago there was a huge reservoir, which scientists called the Sarmatian Sea. Gradually, with the growth of the mountains, it was divided into a number of large seas-lakes cut off from the waters of the World Ocean: Aral, Caspian and Black. This latter, due to the huge number of rivers flowing into it, began to desalinate. Over time, all the fauna living in the ancient Black Sea-lake became freshwater. But 8 million years ago there was a huge earthquake, which created both the Bosporus and the Dardanelles and proved fatal for those then. Masses of salt water poured from the Mediterranean Sea into the Black Sea. The changes were so rapid that freshwater marine inhabitants The Black Sea did not have time to adapt to them. A huge number of dead bodies sank to the bottom, and the process of their decomposition made the Black Sea exceptional, unlike other seas: a hydrogen sulfide layer appeared, located below 150 m from the surface of the water.
This layer of hydrogen sulfide makes the vast expanses of the Black Sea unsuitable for life. Below 150 m, only sulfuric anaerobic bacteria can exist, which, by their vital activity, only increase the percentage composition of hydrogen sulfide. This circumstance - a narrow layer in which fish is found, greatly toughens the life of such large and dangerous predators as sharks in the Black Sea. But hydrogen sulfide is not the only factor that blocks the way for sharks. A large number of rivers and the narrowness of the Bosporus noticeably desalinate the waters of this sea. Suffice it to say that the salinity of the Black Sea is half that of the Mediterranean. In addition, in winter, the surface of its water can cool down to + 9 C, which is very uncomfortable for sharks living in the cool, but still not cold waters of the Atlantic. The scarce food base of the Black Sea is also unsuitable for sharks: large predators prefer large and schooling prey that live in the depths of the waters, while the Black Sea is rich in small fish: anchovy, sprat, sardines that live in the surface layers of the water.
If we assume that some shark swims in the summer from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, then it is unlikely that it will get far from the Bosphorus due to the unsuitability of water and the scarcity of food. But still, there are sharks in the Black Sea, and even two whole species. But don't get scared! This is a katran shark, also called a dog shark because of the similarity of the muzzle, and a cat shark. These two species feed like small fish, moving in small flocks. They do not eat people, although their mouths, again, like those of dolphins, are full of teeth. But people willingly eat these small sharks: katran steaks are considered a great delicacy in Crimea, and katran salmon is valued in the same way as sturgeon salmon, since this fish has almost no bones, and its meat has an excellent taste.
However, it is still not worth it to unambiguously discard the danger of a shark in the Black Sea: the katran has a sharp spike on its fin, which causes pain and can provoke inflammation of the wound. Although this is not typical for katrans, sometimes they swim in shallow water, and you can simply step on them. In this case, the fish can use its teeth with a fright. But such a case was recorded only once in all the years of observation (in the 1970s, the most dangerous animals for humans in the Black Sea are not sharks at all, but stingrays. Their backs are equipped not with simple spikes, but poisonous ones. A portion of the injected poison is not fatal for a person, but can seriously ruin his vacation, because the bite swells the limb. with others.
Wondering if there are sharks in the Black Sea? And it's not even about horror films from childhood, but about the most ordinary human concern for one's life and health.
Are there sharks in the Black Sea?
The answer to such a question can instill fear in front of ignorant people, because this answer: "Yes" and this is a scientifically proven fact.
What predators live?
You can exhale - the sharks that live in the waters of the Black Sea are practically not dangerous for humans because of their small size and caution. During the day, they hide in depth and do not interfere with their presence of vacationers.
When meeting with fishermen, Black Sea sharks do not attack them, but go to the bottom.
In addition to sharks, there are other dangerous ones in the Black Sea:
- Jellyfish. Cornerot is dangerous, it can sting a person quite seriously with its poison;
- sea ruff or scorpionfish. It has clawed teeth and poisonous glands located on its fins;
- sea dragon. In appearance, a harmless fish has poisonous glands next to the spike on the gill cover and on the first dorsal fin, which represents great danger for people;
- stingray stingray. There is a sharp thorn on its tail, which can grow up to 35 cm. The injection of this protective element is very painful.
Unfavorable living environment
The Black Sea is unfavorable for the life of large, dangerous sharks for a number of reasons. At a depth of about 60-70 meters, the Black Sea waters contain hydrogen sulfide, which is not suitable for the breath of most shark species.
And one more fact why there are no dangerous sharks in the Black Sea. Due to the lack of diversity and quantity of marine fauna, large predators simply nothing to eat in the Black Sea. The low-salinity waters of the Black Sea are not suitable for the life of large sharks that have fallen into it from.
Black Sea types of thunderstorms of the seas - photo
Only two shark species.
Katran
Also called dogfish or the Black Sea shark - the most famous predator Black Sea. main feature this shark has spines on its fins that are designed for protection. They are covered in poisonous slime. There are cases when a person could suffer from this shark while sorting the catch, injuring himself on poisonous spikes.
Katrans do not like solitary swimming and prefer to stray into common flocks.
The katran has a streamlined elongated shape, this allows you to develop great speed. These sharks live at a depth of up to 40 meters, a little deeper in summer, as they prefer water with a temperature of 14-15 degrees. An adult katran is no more than 160 cm long and lives for 25 years. Prefers to eat herring, horse mackerel, squid and even octopus. Avoids meeting people.
feline
The cat shark is also known as scillium. It has a fairly small size - an average of 60-70 cm. The shark's body is covered with spots, which makes it similar to representatives of the feline species. Hunts in shallow water, feeds on small fish and crustaceans. Due to its size, it is often included in the diet of larger counterparts. It usually lives at a depth of 80-100 meters.
This nocturnal predator sees perfectly in darkness. During the day he prefers to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Basically, this species of sharks lives along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea, from where it enters the Black Sea through the Bosphorus during the migration period.
Blue, spiny and pygmy sharks can be found in the waters of the Adriatic Sea. Where is it - read in.
Sea killers and cases of attacks on people
Most of the statements that there are dangerous sharks, with relatives of fishing tales. And they are among the most mysterious and dangerous species sharks in the world ocean.
goblin shark
Differently goblin shark. Perhaps the most ancient and little-studied species of sharks on the planet. The only deep sea shark. Scientists came across the bones of a goblin shark 80 million years old.
This fish acquired such an ominous name for a reason. The goblin has a large sensitive protrusion on the nose, which does not add to its attractiveness, and a mobile jaw that moves far forward at the sight of prey. It prefers depths over 300 meters and never rises to the surface. Meets Enough rarely and was considered extinct for many years.
Compared to the Black Sea sharks, the goblin has an impressive size. The length of an adult is over 3 meters.
Even the color of this shark remains a mystery, presumably it is pink, but in the event of a death of a shark, it changes to brown.
Shark has interesting features:
- electroreception. That is, it is capable of receiving electrical impulses from environment. This helps her to get food in the dark sea depths;
- She has another ability. deep sea fish- her eyes glow in the dark greenish light.
The goblin feeds on shellfish and fish. shark in all oceans except for the Arctic, preferring warm and temperate waters. Most often found off the coast of Japan.
In December 2010, information appeared in the media that in the Black Sea in the region, fishermen was caught goblin shark. No one, except for the shark itself, was hurt. There were photos, video reports, interviews. However, experts considered the information a "duck". How dangerous the goblin shark actually is is also not known.
white torpedo
shark eater. The name speaks for itself. This is one of the most large predators on the planet. Its length reaches 7 meters. With its huge size, the shark is quite smart and curious, it has a well-developed sense of smell, which allows you to smell prey several kilometers away.
The shape of a shark resembles torpedo, which allows it to reach speeds of up to 24 kilometers per hour. Can dive to a depth of more than 1000 meters. White sharks live 60 years. Adults feed on large fish, seals, sea lions, cephalopods, and may attack other sharks and even whales.
Big White shark gained a reputation as a killer due to numerous cases of attack on a person. This shark lives in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
According to scientists, the entry of white sharks from the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosphorus is quite probably, but they will not swim far from the strait and coast - water temperature drops in winter and summer are not suitable for them.
White sharks are thermophilic - they live in waters heated from +12 to +24 degrees.
Here are some cases of the appearance of white sharks near the Black Sea from the world of news:
- in 2008 and 2009 years in the area of the Dardanelles in the net, fishermen from Turkey came across cubs of white sharks;
- in July 2011 Turkish fishermen caught a juvenile great white shark in the same region;
- in September 2016 all the same fishermen found a flock of white sharks in the Bosphorus off the coast.
blue sea queen
This type of shark got its name because of the unusual gray-blue color. The size is more modest than white, adults reach 4 meters. This species lives in Indian and Pacific Oceans. Prefers temperate and calm waters.
The blue shark is an excellent hunter, loves small fish, in coastal waters may attack waterfowl. This fish does not distinguish colors, but has phenomenal sense of smell.
With a man at the blue shark complicated relationship. In Malaysia, the blue shark is a commercial fish and it is from there that it gets to gourmet tables different countries. But the predator herself does not remain in debt. Probability of attack especially large in the open ocean.
Less commonly attacked blue sharks careless bathers in warm lagoons may also be exposed.
On April 12, 2015, a blue shark attacked a photographer in south Florida, with only a bitten forearm. According to the victim, he provoked shark in pursuit of the perfect frame.
And in this video you can learn a little more about one of the Black Sea sharks:
