If you were thinking of visiting Mallorca but have just binged the entire Jaws series and are now having doubts, then today’s article will go into whether there are sharks in Mallorca in general, whether they are dangerous to humans and if there are actual shark attacks happening there.
The waters around Mallorca are usually calm and safe for swimming. At certain times of the year, there can be strong currents which can pose a danger to unwary swimmers. For this reason, it is always advisable to pay extra attention to the warnings posted on the beaches and behave accordingly and you’ll be just fine.
But are there sharks in these calm and safe waters of Mallorca? Yes, there have been nearly 50 different species documented in total. However, these Mallorcan sharks are harmless in the sense that they rarely wish to meddle with humans and so avoid areas where tourists dwell altogether.
Is it just there or in the Balearic Islands as a whole? Sharks appear throughout the area; Balearics are actually home to the white shark, though they would rarely appear near the surface, as lower levels are simply more comfortable for them. You are more likely to encounter basking sharks, though these feed on plankton. Same deal, quite safe.
Shark attacks in Mallorca
But what about actual shark attacks? Are sharks in Mallorca dangerous? Well, the last fatal shark attack in Mallorca was in 1912. Given the amount of tourists swarming Mallorca every year and there not being a shark attack for over a century, the odds are very very low.
This is not to propose, however, that you should completely ignore safety regulations. Though the presence of sharks in the surface levels near the island is, indeed, very rare, it is always advisable to exercise caution when swimming and bathing in the open sea. Please, do remember to follow the regulations and advice of lifeguards, swim only in designated safety zones and avoid bathing areas far from the shore. These regulations are there to keep you and your loved ones safe.
To conclude: are there sharks in Mallorca? Yes, absolutely, plenty of them even. Are you in danger of a shark attack in Mallorca? Really, really unlikely.
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