Habitat
Open pelagic waters; commonly transits the Strait between the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
All species
Blue Shark
Prionace glauca
Not aggressive
Slender, indigo-blue oceanic shark — one of the most wide-ranging vertebrates on Earth.
Maximum size
1.8–3.4 m
Aggressiveness
Not aggressive
Ecology
Highly migratory and heavily impacted by longline fisheries.
Feeding
Opportunistic feeder on small pelagic fish, squid and occasionally seabirds and carrion.
Behaviour
Curious and may approach divers and boats, but generally non-confrontational.
Safety notes
Rarely implicated in unprovoked attacks. Avoid feeding or chumming near swimmers.
Conservation status
IUCN: Near Threatened.
Sources & Citations
Data compiled from peer-reviewed and authoritative open sources. Last reviewed 2026.
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status for each species.
- The Shark Trust — Species Database
Biology, ecology and identification.
- FishBase
Maximum sizes, distribution and life-history data.
- Florida Museum — International Shark Attack File
Documented species behaviour around humans.
- Nature Gibraltar / Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society
Local marine fauna records around the Strait.