A 12-meter-long shark has appeared on the beaches of Hurghada

A basking shark has been spotted on the shore of one of the most popular resorts in Hurghada, quickly becoming a subject for tourists' photos. This time, it wasn't a predatory and bloodthirsty animal but a whale-like shark known as a basking shark.

This marine giant can reach lengths of up to 12 meters and weigh around 30 tons. The Egyptian edition of El Watan News reports on this remarkable event.

The publication cites Mahmoud Moati, an expert at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Hurghada, who commented on the appearance of the shark in the Red Sea. According to him, the clean water of the marine environment is ideal for the life of such a shark, and therefore, the appearance of a whale shark is not unusual.

He further clarified that the basking shark is not dangerous to humans, lacking teeth and feeding on small fish and algae. It is emphasized that the shark has become a star because it swims with divers and "poses" for photos. This behavior attracts even more tourists to Hurghada, with new travelers rushing to capture a photo against the backdrop of this interesting marine animal after seeing pictures on social media.

What is known

Research indicates that this species of shark, characterized by passive and slow behavior, first appeared about 60 million years ago. Despite their impressive size and enormous mouths, these fish, like whales, primarily consume plankton, microscopic flora, small animals, and fish.

However, even though basking sharks are considered peaceful, there have been instances where tourists were injured by their tails when attempting to either hold or harm these giants.