Expert Tom ‘The Blowfish’ Hird believes there could be one or two of the fearsome predators lurking around the UK and Ireland and it is only a matter of time before photographic evidence finally emerges
Great white sharks are already swimming in British waters – and more could be on the way, an expert has claimed.
Marine biologist and TV presenter Tom ‘The Blowfish’ Hird believes there could be one or two of the fearsome predators lurking around the UK and Ireland at any given time.
And he says it is only a matter of time before photographic evidence finally emerges.
Tom, who fronts Netflix series All The Sharks, said: “You have to remember that great white sharks have the biology and ability to easily enter our coastal waters, take a swim around, and leave without anyone seeing them.
“It’s a big ocean, and these sharks never stop swimming.
“Only in very few places do we see great white sharks really sticking around in very dedicated areas and these are likely part of the ocean which play an important role in their overall life history.
“The UK would be nothing more than a quick stop at a cafe or service station for a great white.
“But I would think that during the late summer and certainly heading into the breeding season for grey seals, we have at least one, or two great white sharks around the British Isles and Ireland at any one time.
“We still know so little about the species and its larger migration habits. We could easily have more coming into our wider territorial waters just to rest and digest after deep sea hunter trips.
“For them to remain near or in coastal waters, there has to be a reason. As climate change shifts the climate and areas become warmer, then prey distribution will shift.
“All predators will have to adapt and move with the temperatures, to stay near their food source. If our seal population changes, then any great white sharks we have, would change with it.”
His comments come after a blue shark bit a man off Ireland last week.
But Tom does not believe shark incidents are likely to become more common around Britain.
He said: “I don’t believe there will be any increase in shark related incidents around the UK at all as very very few people ever even get that close to any of our large native shark species.
“Even if they do, 99.9% of all shark and human interactions always resolve without a problem of any kind.”
Tom said he would welcome a confirmed great white sighting in British waters, saying it could help experts better understand and protect the species.
But he warned that regularly seeing the predators off Britain could point to a far more alarming environmental problem.
He said: “I would love for great whites to be properly observed and recorded in British waters, as that means we could offer increased protection for this species and add to the overall data and understanding of such a truly kick ass creature.
“But if great white sighting were recorded and then started becoming a ‘common’ sight, this would only indicate that the established ocean ecosystems around the globe were failing.
“That would indicate the end for a lot of life on earth, us very much included.”
And while Tom is convinced great whites are already visiting British waters, he said other notorious species such as bull and tiger sharks would require dramatically warmer seas to reach the UK.
He added: “For bull or tiger sharks to enter British waters, our average sea temperature would have to increase by such a significant amount.
“To achieve that, the overall effects of climate change would be so intense, it would be highly unlikely that our current form of human civilisation would still exist.
“However, in a warmed post human world, assuming (and hoping) that incredible shark species that Tigers, bulls, etc have survived, there would be no reason why a Bull shark couldn’t swim up the Thames.
“There just wouldn’t be anyone around to see it!”