That doesn’t happen every day in Mallorca: A blue shark got lost on the beach on the Spanish holiday island. The animal, which is around two meters long, was spotted on Sunday evening by residents and visitors to the municipality of Santanyí on the beach in Cala Llombards, as reported by Mallorcan media. Santanyí, about 50 kilometers south-east of the island’s capital, Palma, is particularly popular with German holidaymakers and second-home owners.
A woman took video footage released by the media showing the shark swimming back into the sea under its own power after a brief struggle. Actually, blue sharks live in deeper waters and are therefore mainly far out in the sea. The sharks that are spotted near shore are mostly sick animals that stray onto the beaches.
Most recently, in June 2017, several shark sightings within a few days off the southwest coast of Mallorca terrified swimmers. One animal – a five-foot-long blue shark – was then caught and euthanized by the Spanish Coast Guard. This, in turn, sparked outrage among animal rights activists.
Experts emphasize that beach holidaymakers need not be afraid. However, if you see the distinctive dorsal fins, you should dial the emergency number so that specialists can help the animals.
Many vacationers have already taken advantage of the sunny weather on Mallorca for a dip in the sea over the past few days. The water temperature at Playa de Palma is currently 17 degrees, the air temperature is above 20 degrees during the day.
