Are there sharks in the Black Sea?

The Black Sea, unlike some other warm seas, is considered to be rather sparsely populated. Only 200 species of fish live here (for comparison, there are only 1,500 species studied in the Red Sea), but sharks are also found among them, as many as two species. For some reason, their “folk” names are associated with domestic animals: katrana was called a sea dog, and scillium – a cat shark. No tigers with bulls. These nicknames, as it were, hint that they are not dangerous for a person.

Are Black Sea sharks dangerous?

Indeed, they are not dangerous: in the Black Sea, there have been no cases of attacks by local sharks on humans. And the newcomers, who pose a danger to people (white, gray bull, tiger), are – fortunately – uncomfortable here: the water is not salty enough for them, the sea is too cold in winter, and ships scurry too often. Such conditions are not suitable for life and reproduction. But the katran and scillium are less whimsical: they have been living in the Black Sea for centuries. And mostly where a person cannot meet them: away from the coast, at a depth of 10 m. However, you can see them while diving, and during deep-sea fishing you can also catch them.

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  Scyllium

Both species are predators, they feed on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, they are indifferent to larger creatures. However, if you try to foolishly grab the same katran, say, by the tail, it can bite. At the same time, the consequences and sensations will be comparable to the bite of a dog: the jaws of the katran are quite powerful. You should be careful when touching the caught fish: its body is covered with spikes, some of them emit a weak poison. Katran is one of the most numerous inhabitants of the Black Sea. The feline shark, the scillium, is much more difficult to meet in this water area: it only occasionally appears in its Turkish part.

What else to read on the topic

• Divers told about their most terrible dives and underwater encounters
• 10 most dumb reptiles of Crimea
• Are there sharks in the seas of Turkey and what you need to know about them

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  Katran