Ten new species of shark heading to UK waters

Up to ten new species of shark are likely to be swimming in UK waters by 2050 as rising ocean temperatures allow southern species to venture north for the first time, according to scientists.

“Climate change is likely to bring new kinds of sharks from areas like the Mediterranean and African coast,” reports Sky News.

There are currently around 40 species of shark living off the UK coast.

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Here are the additional types expected to join them over the next 30 years.

Great hammerhead

The largest of the hammerhead shark species, the great hammerhead is known for its T-shaped head, which gives it binocular vision and is used to pin down prey.

Blacktip shark

Though not dangerous to people, the blacktip is a great hunter. It is known for jumping and spinning out of the water when attacking schools of fish.

Spotted ragged-tooth shark

Also known as a sand tiger shark, this species looks intimidating but is really quite gentle. Because it is tolerant of humans and quite social, it is often found in aquariums.

Bigeye thresher

This shark roams the open ocean and is best known for its long fins, which are sometimes as long its body. The thresher uses its fins to hit and stun fish when hunting.

Longfin mako shark

One of the fastest and most energetic sharks in the world, the longfin mako is typically found in the deep waters of the open ocean.

Bronze whaler

Also known as the copper shark, because of its bronze-coloured back, the bronze whaler often grows to 3.3 meters (11ft) in length and hunts in groups of up to 100.

Oceanic whitetip shark

A slow-moving but aggressive shark that dominates feeding frenzies and is a danger to shipwreck or air crash survivors.

Silky shark

Known for the smooth texture of its skin, this shark is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sharks in the oceans, although its numbers are dropping as a result of overfishing.

Dusky shark

The dusky shark has a natural life span of up to 50 years but has become endangered owing to increased targeted fishing, with their fins used in shark fin soup.

Goblin shark

Known for its ridiculous-looking snout and translucent skin, the goblin shark is actually a fearsome predator thanks to its dislocating jaw, which extends by up to 3.1 metres per second.