Blue shark. Credit: CNN Portugal
A blue shark was reportedly spotted this Sunday afternoon in the Ilha da Armona square, in the municipality of Olhão, according to reports from the public.
According to , the Port Authority of Olhão confirmed that “a report was made regarding the sighting of the animal”.
The identification of the species “has not yet been confirmed by any competent authority”, with nature watchers from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) monitoring the situation to determine the species in question.
According to the same source, “the case remains under evaluation”.
Authorities are monitoring the situation after public alert
The alleged sighting occurred during this Sunday afternoon near Armona Island, leading authorities to monitor the situation.
The blue shark is one of the most common shark species in Portuguese coastal waters and generally does not pose a danger to humans. The sighting of juvenile specimens along the coast or even in bathing areas is relatively common during spring.
This species is currently classified as “Near Threatened”, mainly due to fishing pressure around the world.
The blue shark is one of the most captured species in the world, often accidentally, in surface longline fishing operations.
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