2 weeks Ago
Two dusky sharks (Carcharhinus obscurus), a species not considered dangerous to humans, were spotted near the shoreline of Beit Yanai beach in the past 24 hours. While shark sightings have become increasingly common over the years near the Orot Rabin power station in Hadera, where the sharks are drawn to the warm water outflows, the appearance of sharks at Beit Yanai is considered quite rare. Footage of the two sharks ( Video: Yehuda Zimbris ) The encounter was captured by Yehuda Zimbris, 68, a lifelong seafarer born in Mikhmoret, a coastal village in the Hefer Valley.
"I'm building a house on the cliff above Beit Yanai beach," Zimbris said. "Suddenly, I noticed two shadows in the water. I started filming them and realized they were sharks.
They came within 50 to 100 meters of the shore, which caused panic among most of the swimmers. Still, some people tried to approach them, despite the lifeguard’s clear instructions to get out of the water. The sharks swam from south to north, performed a kind of ‘dance,’ and eventually disappeared northward.
” 1 View gallery The shark that was spotted at Bet Yanai Beach ( Photo: Yehuda Zimbris ) In recent days, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) has issued warnings about swimming in the area. Earlier this week, the INPA released a statement confirming a report of two shark sightings near the mouth of the Alexander Stream, part of the Beit Yanai National Park. Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.
ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv According to marine biologist Dr. Adi Barash—from the Israel Sharks NGO and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University, and a member of the IUCN’s shark specialist group—the warming sea temperatures in spring are causing sharks to leave their usual hot-water refuges, such as those near Hadera.
“This may also happen in winter, but to a lesser extent,” said Dr. Barash. “Due to recent heatwaves, a large number of fish have died because they couldn’t adapt to the extreme changes in water temperature.
That, in turn, attracts sharks. Additionally, the sharks’ roaming area is expanding, so they’re migrating along the Israeli coastline rather than concentrating in specific areas.” Dr.
Barash emphasized that the presence of sharks along Israel’s coast isn’t unusual. “This occurs every spring due to the warming waters. There’s no need to close beaches—just follow safety guidelines and respect the sharks.
Don’t provoke them or try to interact. Sharks are a protected species in Israel, so approaching or touching them is prohibited.” >.
