Sparkling seas and beautiful Greek islands on the horizon – it’s an idyllic view of Greece. But should you be on the lookout for a shark fin traversing those beautiful waters?
Sharks in Greece: myth or reality?
While there are sharks in Greece, most of the species are harmless. Sightings are extremely rare and, in general, shark attacks in the Mediterranean are also rarely reported. Given the large number of people who spend time in the warm and often shallow waters along the coasts of Greece, encounters with sharks are rare.
In the existing records of sharks in the Mediterranean, there is only one anecdotal story of a deadly shark attack on the Greek islands, and that was reported almost a century ago. Other official sources list a total of 15 shark attacks in Greece in the last 170 years. It is not clear which species of sharks may have been responsible; A Greek fisherman swore he saw a great white shark in the Aegean a couple of decades ago, but it was probably a small whale, which is also rare but present in Greece.
While there are a few reported Mediterranean shark attacks each year, they seem to cluster around the shores of France, not Greece.
All sharks are rare in Greece, and those that are seen or caught by fishermen are generally of the less dangerous types: basking sharks, thresher sharks, and dogfish. In recent years, sharks have been found or caught around Milos, Symi, and Crete. The numbers have been declining in recent decades; If you are really a fan of sharks in Greece and elsewhere, and want to help conserve them, you can visit the Greece page of the Shark Alliance.
Sharks appear in Greek mythology, and that may mean that they were more numerous in ancient times than they are today. Lamia, a daughter of the sea god Poseidon, was said to be shaped like a shark. A son of his, Akheilos, was also a shark.
Greek mythology also has many mythical sea beasts, including the multi-tentacled Hydra, which may have been the inspiration for the non-Greek Kraken in »Clash of the Titans«.
So if you’re wondering if there could be a “Sharknado” in Greece, don’t. Sharks are rare in Greek waters and are generally harmless.
Forget sharks: the most dangerous sea creatures in the Mediterranean
Other dangers are much more real and much more likely to affect your Greece vacation.
- Jellyfish – Real dangers include jellyfish stings and turning your foot into a temporary cactus by stepping on a barefoot needle sea anemone. It is always good to wear sea sandals, both for the anemones and for the lava rocks that often line the shores of many of the islands. Sea sandals can sell out in Greece during the summer, so you may want to stuff them in your bag rather than relying on picking them up in Greece. Children’s sizes are often sold out first.
- Scorpionfish: Marine sandals will likely also protect you from sand-burrowing scorpionfish, whose stings are known to be fatal. A few years ago in Crete, a man was arrested on murder charges due to the sudden death of his wife, who collapsed and died in the shower. It was initially thought to have poisoned her, but the Greek forensic team determined that she had stepped on a Scorpionfish earlier in the day. Due to a pre-existing problem with his liver, the sting was fatal.
- Crocodiles: Although crocodiles do not normally live in Greece, a new lake formed on the Greek island of Crete appears to have attracted a pair of crocodiles. Swimming has been banned as of late, but now that restriction seems to be especially good.
