Footage has emerged of what is alleged to be a Great White Shark swimming off the Galway coast.
The shark was spotted by Connemara fishermen and filmed by John McGloin swimming around the boat.
"It wasn’t far from the coast and my friend has spotted a few fins in the last few days around the Galway area, mostly in between Spiddal and the Aran Islands," Mr McGloin said.
“So, this is a warning to all the swimmers.”
'Great White Shark' filmed off coast of Connemara, Co. Galway 🦈#WildAtlanticWay #GreatWhiteShark
🎥 John McGloin pic.twitter.com/XvRuCOyTG3— 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 (@galwaytourism) July 4, 2024
Great White Sharks are usually found in more southerly, warmer waters - such as South Africa and Australia.
Usually they consume fish or smaller shark species but they have been known to attack and eat human beings as well.
Ireland is home to 71 different species of shark, skates and rays and speaking to Newstalk, marine biologist Jack O'Donovan Trá from Fair Seas Ireland says while it is not impossible for a Great White Shark to visit our shores, there are others more likely to make the journey.
"Sharks can be misidentified very easily," he said.
"If you had a small juvenile Basking Shark with its mouth closed, to the untrained eye one could potentially mistake it for something like a Great White Shark."
As climate change gradually heats up the Atlantic, scientists have warned the geographic distribution of certain species will change.
Cod, salmon and eels could head north to cooler waters in order to survive.
Main image: Great White Shark. Picture by: Alamy.com
