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Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Moment 'mini Jaws' is spotted lurking off British coast with children playing just metres away
A massive 7ft shark was spotted just metres off the British coast, leaving locals stunned. Dubbed a 'mini Jaws', the terrifying creature is thought to be a 2m porbeagle and was spotted off Aberdovey (also known as Aberdyfi) in Wales on Sunday afternoon. Owen Davies managed to capture the remarkable moment the endangered shark - which can be a danger to humans - was seen swimming in circles with the dorsal fin breaching the water surface. Mr Davies, 67, said he was on his way home after a few days in the area and noticed a crowd of people with their phone cameras out as a toddler played on the shoreline. He said: 'The previous day I'd noticed a lot of huge barrelled jelly fish around there but they don't normally catch peoples attention. 'I slowed down as I passed and then I saw a dorsal fin, so I pulled over to have a better look. 'I'm 67 years of age, born and bread in Aberdovey and have never seen a shark in the river, as kids we used to see the odd porpoise swimming up the estuary but never a shark.' The shark - which can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh as much as 600 pounds - was spotted 'four foot' off the old lifeboat slipway in Penhelig, Aberdovey. He said: 'I was really surprised, I've never seen a shark in the estuary before.' Another local, Simon Howes, said: 'Wow shark in Aberdyfi.' The porbeagle shark is a species of mackerel shark that inhabits cold and temperate waters of the North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere. The impressive beast is also member of the Lamnidae family and is one of the closest living relatives of Great whites. But the shark was believed to be injured or ill and had to be rescued by divers. The coastguard set up a boundary around the shark that looked in distress so people wouldn't approach it as divers helped the endangered animal. The shark is believed to have survived and swum back out of the estuary with the rising tide. A coastguard spokesperson said: 'HM Coastguard Aberystwyth were tasked at the request of MRCC Milford Haven. 'To assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, BDMLR with a two-metre long juvenile Porbeagle shark swimming in the area. 'Between the pier and the bandstand that was thought to be ill or injured and in danger of beaching itself. 'The CRT were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control. 'To ensure no members of the public put themselves in harm's way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress. 'After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the CRT were stood down.' Porbeagle sharks are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN globally. In the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to intentionally catch or kill them in British waters. Although porbeagles are physically capable of attacking humans, very few attacks have been attributed to the species.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Chilling moment 12ft shark lurks feet off UK coast as kids play on shore in warm weather
Shocking footage captured the moment the 12-foot 'mini-Jaws' swam just feet away from the shore at Aberystwyth's North Beach on Friday evening - with stunned crowds gathering to watch as its fin emerged from the water Beachgoers basking in the UK's sizzling temperatures last week were left stunned after spotting a shark dangerously close to two different shorelines. Shocking video footage captured the moment the 12-foot "mini-Jaws" swam just feet away from the shore at Aberystwyth's North Beach in Wales on Friday evening, with crowds gathering to watch as its fin emerged from the water. The mammal, thought to be a Porbeagle shark, was reported to wildlife rescue teams and the coastguard over fears it was ill or injured. As it swam dangerously close to the beache's jetty, the animal was also feared to be at risk of beaching itself. As a result, the public were warned to stay away for their own safety and to prevent additional stress for the animal. Craig Roberts, who was in the area visiting his son at Aberystwyth University, saw the shark and said kids were jumping into the water moments before it emerged. He said: "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though." The second shark sighting came on Sunday, also in Wales - in Aberdyfi, Gwynedd. It is understood to be the same shark. Witnesses Simon Howes and Owen Davies managed to capture the creature on video. Davies said: "That's a first for me in Aberdyfi - a shark up by the Penhelig Arms Hotel." HM Coastguard Aberystwyth said they were contacted by the Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) charity. The coastguard said: "The coastguard rescue team were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control to ensure no members of the public put themselves in harms way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress. "After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the CRT were stood down." While the Porbeagle shark is native to the UK, it is usually found in deeper water, where it hunts a range of smaller fish, including mackerel, herring, octopus, and squid. The strong swimmers, belonging to the same family as the Great White and Mako sharks, are known for being able to travel huge distances. Porbeagle sharks are known for their torpedo-shaped bodies, black eyes, and short conical snout, as well as a distinctive white patch at the base of their dorsal fin. The species are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - meaning it is an offence to intentionally kill or catch them in UK waters.
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Watch moment 12ft-long SHARK lurks just a few feet off UK coast as kids play on shore
A SHARK has been sighted just a few feet from a UK shoreline at two different beaches in recent days. Footage shows the 12-foot "mini-Jaws" swimming dangerously close to the shore in Wales as children play nearby. 2 The shark was spotted on two separate occasions in Wales Credit: Dailypost 2 The porbeagle shark was at risk of beaching itself Spotted twice, the first sighting came on Friday evening at Aberystwyth's North Beach where the Porbeagle shark lurked close to the beach's wooden jetty. A crowd gathered to watch the shark which was subsequently reported to wildlife rescue teams and the coastguard over concerns it appeared to be ill or injured. There were also concerns that the shark was at risk of beaching itself. As a result, the public were warned to stay away for their own safety and to prevent additional stress for the animal. Craig Roberts, who was visiting his son at Aberystwyth University, spotted the shark while visiting the beach. He said: "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. "Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though." The second spotting came on Sunday in Aberdyfi, Gwynedd in what is understood to be the same shark. Simon Howes and Owen Davies were among those who snapped photos and a video. On the sighting, Davies said: "That's a first for me in Aberdyfi - a shark up by the Penhelig Arms Hotel." Mysterious 'alien' shark normally only seen in ocean depths found prowling off coast of hols hotspot Gran Canaria by fisherman HM Coastguard Aberystwyth stated they had received a request from the Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) charity. The coastguard said: "The coastguard rescue team were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control to ensure no members of the public put themselves in harms way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress. "After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the CRT were stood down." The Porbeagle shark is native to the UK and belongs to the same family as the Great White and Mako sharks. Porbeagle sharks: fact sheet Here's what you need to know about this at-risk species. Porbeagles are sharks found in the Atlantic and South Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean. They are large and powerfully built, reaching up to 3.7 meters long and weighing up to 230kg. Members of the species have been known to live up to 30 or even 65 years. Females don't reproduce until they are about 13 years old, and then give birth to an average of four pups every one or two years. Offspring are birthed live after a gestation period lasting between eight and nine months. Because of their slow reproductive cycle, porbeagle populations cannot recover quickly from declining population numbers. In addition to overfishing in certain parts of the world, their populations have been decimated by habitat loss and degradation. Another factor is bycatch, defined by NOAA Fisheries as 'discarded catch of marine species and unobserved mortality due to a direct encounter with fishing vessels and gear.' Northwest Atlantic porbeagles are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean populations are critically endangered. They are characterised by their torpedo-shaped bodies, black eyes, and short conical snout. One tell-tale feature is the distinctive white patch at the base of their dorsal fin, setting them apart from similar species. Historically, the Porbeagle shark has been targeted for their meat, fins, and sport and were once a common trophy in offshore game fishing. These practices have largely stopped today but the populations have yet to fully recover. They are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally kill or catch them in British waters. Very few attacks have been attributed to the species despite being physically capable of attacking humans.
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Watch moment 12ft-long SHARK lurks just a few feet off UK coast as kids play on shore
A SHARK has been sighted just a few feet from a UK shoreline at two different beaches in recent days. Footage shows the 12-foot "mini-Jaws" swimming dangerously close to the shore in Wales as children play nearby. Advertisement 2 The shark was spotted on two separate occasions in Wales Credit: Dailypost 2 The porbeagle shark was at risk of beaching itself Spotted twice, the first sighting came on Friday evening at Aberystwyth's North Beach where the Porbeagle shark lurked close to the beach's wooden jetty. A crowd gathered to watch the shark which was subsequently reported to wildlife rescue teams and the coastguard over concerns it appeared to be ill or injured. There were also concerns that the shark was at risk of beaching itself. As a result, the public were warned to stay away for their own safety and to prevent additional stress for the animal. Advertisement Read more News Craig Roberts, who was visiting his son at Aberystwyth University, spotted the shark while visiting the beach. He said: "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. "Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though." The second spotting came on Sunday in Aberdyfi, Gwynedd in what is understood to be the same shark. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Simon Howes and Owen Davies were among those who snapped photos and a video. On the sighting, Davies said: "That's a first for me in Aberdyfi - a shark up by the Penhelig Arms Hotel." Mysterious 'alien' shark normally only seen in ocean depths found prowling off coast of hols hotspot Gran Canaria by fisherman HM Coastguard Aberystwyth stated they had received a request from the Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) charity. The coastguard said: "The coastguard rescue team were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control to ensure no members of the public put themselves in harms way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress. Advertisement "After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the CRT were stood down." The Porbeagle shark is native to the UK and belongs to the same family as the Great White and Mako sharks. Porbeagle sharks: fact sheet Here's what you need to know about this at-risk species. Porbeagles are sharks found in the Atlantic and South Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean. They are large and powerfully built, reaching up to 3.7 meters long and weighing up to 230kg. Members of the species have been known to live up to 30 or even 65 years. Females don't reproduce until they are about 13 years old, and then give birth to an average of four pups every one or two years. Offspring are birthed live after a gestation period lasting between eight and nine months. Because of their slow reproductive cycle, porbeagle populations cannot recover quickly from declining population numbers. In addition to overfishing in certain parts of the world, their populations have been decimated by habitat loss and degradation. Another factor is bycatch, defined by NOAA Fisheries as 'discarded catch of marine species and unobserved mortality due to a direct encounter with fishing vessels and gear.' Northwest Atlantic porbeagles are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean populations are critically endangered. They are characterised by their torpedo-shaped bodies, black eyes, and short conical snout. One tell-tale feature is the distinctive white patch at the base of their dorsal fin, setting them apart from similar species. Advertisement Historically, the Porbeagle shark has been targeted for their meat, fins, and sport and were once a common trophy in offshore game fishing. These practices have largely stopped today but the populations have yet to fully recover. They are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally kill or catch them in British waters. Very few attacks have been attributed to the species despite being physically capable of attacking humans. Advertisement
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
'Mini jaws' off North Wales coast as public urged to keep distance
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A two metre long shark - nicknamed 'mini-Jaws' - has been spotted next to the shoreline at two beaches in Wales in recent days. The first incident was on Friday evening at Aberystwyth's North Beach. Onlookers spotted the shark close to the wooden jetty on the beach. It was reported to sealife charities and also the coastguard over concerns it was at risk of beaching itself. The public were urged to stay away from the Porbeagle shark over concerns they could get injured and also cause additional stress for the animal. The second spotting was in Aberdyfi, Gwynedd, on Sunday - where Simon Howes and Owen Davies were among those who captured pictures and a video of what is understood to be the same shark. Simon Howes said: "Wow, sharks in Aberdyfi." (Image: Simon Howes) Owen Davies said: "That's a first for me in Aberdyfi - a SHARK up by the Penhelig Arms hotel." One person said: "Probably the same one that was in Aberystwyth." Another added: "Wow! He was in Aber Friday evening, nearly beached himself." (Image: Owen Davies) On the Aberystwyth incident the coastguard said: "HM Coastguard Aberystwyth were tasked at the request of MRCC Milford Haven to assist the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) with a 2m long juvenile Porbeagle shark swimming in the area between the pier and the bandstand that was thought to be ill/injured and in danger of beaching itself. "The CRT were tasked to provide safety cover for BDMLR and also to provide a bit of crowd control to ensure no members of the public put themselves in harms way, or inadvertently caused the shark further distress. "After low tide and no further sightings, 'mini jaws' had seemingly made it out of the bay and so the CRT were stood down." Porbeagle sharks: The porbeagle shark belongs to the same family as the great white and Mako sharks. These are fast-swimming, powerful hunters, perfectly adapted to life in the open ocean. They can reach lengths of up to 12 feet (3.65 meters) and weigh over 500 pounds (230 kilograms). Porbeagles are instantly recognizable by their streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies, large black eyes, and a short, conical snout. Their dorsal side is a sleek bluish-grey, contrasting with a snowy white belly—classic countershading that helps them ambush prey. One tell-tale feature for identification is a distinctive white patch at the base of their dorsal fin, a marker that sets them apart from similar species. Porbeagle sharks are currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN globally. In the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and it is illegal to intentionally catch or kill them in British waters. Historically targeted for their meat, fins, and sport (particularly during the 1950s–70s), porbeagles were once a common trophy in offshore game fishing. Today, those practices have largely ceased, but their populations have yet to fully recover. Although porbeagles are physically capable of attacking humans, very few attacks have been attributed to the species. According to the International Shark Attack File, there have only been three incidents involving a porbeagle bite - one provoked and two on boats when fishers were boarding the shark. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
