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The great white sharks of the Mediterranean
- federicosocean
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
The great white shark is probably the most known but also feared marine animal that exists today.
Their incredible size and menacing look never cease to terrify most people who aren't very familiar with the ocean or sharks in particular.
I actually know several people who told me that their number one reason they don't swim in the ocean is to not encounter a great white shark.
Those sharks most often live in temperate waters where there is a high concentration of seals and sea lions, their favorite prey.
What if I told you that you can find great white sharks in the Mediterranean?
As we will see in this article, those sharks are unique in their kind and they aren't really like their overseas peers.
Typical distribution and Habitat
Great white sharks are often found in areas like Guadalupe Island in Mexico, Gansbaai in South Africa and along the southern Australian coast.
They also have a significant presence in the Mediterranean and New Zealand.
However, I would say that their presence in the Mediterranean is less dense. This is especially true when you consider that European scuba divers travel all the way to South Africa or Mexico to have a chance at diving with this species of sharks.
Nonetheless, their presence is well documented in the Mediterranean and it's even believed to be a breeding area for great white sharks.
I just said "believed" because, as of April 2025, nobody has ever observed the mating of a great white shark or even how they give birth.
The map we see above are just estimations on where great white sharks spend their lives. But their area of distribution could be much greater (as marked by the question marks on the map), especially considering their great adaptability for survival.
Where are they found in the Mediterranean?
According to a paper published in 2017, great white sharks have been reported since the middle ages in the Mediterranean sea.
They are more commonly found in the western Mediterranean, especially in the Adriatic Sea and the Sicilian Channel.
Due to the high presence of young great whites in those areas, it might suggest that they serve as nursery ground for the species in this part of the world. Another paper published in 2014 suggests that there is a presence of great whites in areas close to Turkey such as the Aegean Sea, Bosphorus and the sea of Marmara.
Those shark sightings are mostly concentrated in summer months.
Despite the fact that those sharks appear at higher frequencies in the aforementioned waters, their range doesn't end there.
Great white sharks have also been observed in the Balearic Islands, Gulf of Lion, the Tyrrhenian Sea and even the coast of North Africa.
The Peculiar Diet of the Mediterranean Shark
One of the key characteristics of environments where great white sharks live is their significant presence of marine mammals like seals and sea lions.
Those animals have a high concentration of fat and they are large enough to satisfy the appetite of those big sharks.
This rule holds true in places like South Africa or Guadalupe Island.
However, one interesting element regarding the Mediterranean is that there is little to no presence of those kinds of animals. And despite this fact, great whites managed to survive in this area.
Researchers assume that they probably feed on tuna populations present in this part of the world.
But autopsies of their stomachs show a much broader diet than assumed at first glance.
On top of tuna, their diet in Mediterranean waters include small cetaceans, swordfish and sea turtles.
Those findings changed the way we saw their diet. We previously thought that those predators needed to feed on sea mammals such as seals so they can ingest enough fat to grow to their adult size. It has been known that great whites eat other animals besides sea mammals. But those preys were never considered as their primary diet.
It can also noted that those stomach findings also reported the presence of inedible humans objects such as car licenses, plastic bags, broomsticks and wigs.
Why are they so rare?
Despite their well documented presence in the Mediterranean, their sighting is quite rare. It is therefore difficult for scientists to study them.
Reports of sightings and captures remain quite small in comparison to other regions.
My personal opinion on the reason of why they are so rare is that as their food sources provide less calories than in other regions across the globe, the Mediterranean may not be capable of supporting large populations of those predators. Scientists warn that great white sharks populations are dwindling in the Mediterranean.
This is measured by the decline in the mean length of individuals documented.
It is correlated with the sharp reduction in tuna populations caused by overfishing.
Conclusion
Great white sharks are still a species shrouded in mystery.
What we know however is that the great white of the Mediterranean are like no other population from the species.
Their elusive nature and peculiar diet makes them fascinating for scientists.
Unfortunately, their numbers are small, and they are likely declining to an even smaller group caused by the impact that commercial fishing has on the Mediterranean's biodiversity, especially in tuna populations.
So for the people worried about encountering a great white shark while on their Mediterranean holidays, the probability of seeing one are slim to none.
And I think that the chance of seeing such a rare and endangered animal should be seen as an incredible opportunity. It's obviously easier said than done when you're in the water unprepared. In my particular case, I honestly don't know how I would react. I would be probably be terrified and fascinated at the same time. At an early age, I became scared of sharks due to the movie Jaws. But now, as an adult, I just can't wait to join a trip to Guadalupe Island or to Gansbaai and dive with great white sharks.
I hope you truly enjoyed this article as much as I enjoyed writing it!
See you on the next one!
Federico Zein
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