Screen grab of the video
Doha, Qatar: More than 50 sharks of different species were found in Qatar waters recently. According to authorities, the phenomenon marks as the largest gathering of different species of sharks in the country.
The gathering also included three species that are in danger of extinction, according to the IUCN Red List.
This was discovered by a research team from the Protection and Natural Reserves Sector at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, during a field trip to the northern marine areas in Qatar.
The Ministry shared the details on its social media along with a video of the shark gathering.
Spotted: #Qatar's largest gathering of various shark species pic.twitter.com/wtz77iOUAe
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) September 6, 2023
"This diverse gathering of sharks in the country comes as a result of the great efforts made by the Ministry to preserve biological diversity and protect species at risk of extinction through the development of laws and legislation in this regard," stated the Ministry.
Regional Whale Shark Conservation Centre (RWSCC), an environmental conservation organisation, shared about this experience saying that their research team went out on September 4, 2023, when they found this aggregation. The shark species included "Common Blacktip Sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus), Graceful Sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides), and Spinner Sharks (Carcharhinus brevipinna). These species are categorized as vulnerable in the Arabian Gulf region by the IUCN. Therefore, it is important that we protect these sharks in Qatar."
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change added that the presence of these shark species is a natural phenomenon as a result of the availability of a lot of food sources, such as sardines, which are abundant at this time of the year.
The ministry, as a reassurance to sea goers, added that these types of sharks are peaceful and do not pose any threat, contrary to the popular belief about their danger.
