All beaches in the northern city of Haifa were closed to swimmers Friday morning after a lifeguard reported spotting a large marine animal believed to be a whale shark near the city’s southern shoreline, municipal officials said.
The Haifa Municipality said it had alerted the Planning, Environment and Sustainability Unit, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Coast Guard and will continue to update the public on any developments.
Large marine animal believed to be a whale shark spotted off Haifa
(Video: Haifa Municipality)
This is not the first time in recent weeks that beaches across Israel have been temporarily closed due to whale shark sightings. The same animal is believed to have been spotted at various points along the Mediterranean coast, including off the shores of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Netanya, Bat Yam and Tel Aviv. Marine conservation group Sharks in Israel has even nicknamed the shark “Ofek.”
The whale shark was later seen farther south, off the coast of Gaza, where it was caught by fishermen near Khan Younis or washed ashore. Videos from the area showed large crowds of Palestinians gathered around the giant fish, which was estimated to be about 10 meters (33 feet) in length.
Dr. Adi Barash, CEO of Sharks in Israel, urged the public not to disturb whale sharks if encountered. “As we behave in Eilat and with wildlife in general, we enjoy the sighting, take photos if possible, keep our distance, don’t block or chase them and always act respectfully,” she said.