Drama on the beach: Stranded mako shark dies despite helpful bathers!

Drama on the beach: Stranded mako shark dies despite helpful bathers!

On August 24, 2025, a mako shark was spotted on the popular Las Vistas coast in Tenerife. The animal wriggled helplessly on the beach, attracting numerous swimmers who rushed out of the water and began filming the event. While the thing, already in trouble, lay on the shore, several men tried to pull the shark back into the Atlantic. Despite the efforts of those willing to help, the shark died shortly after being pulled back into the sea. This happened even though the shark had no obvious injuries, but did have a large scar above its right gills.

Footage of this incident shows both the helplessness of the shark and the courage of the helpers. The Canary Islands marine biologist Pablo Martín, who analyzed the recordings, expressed his incomprehension that a mako shark could be found so close to the coast. He suspected there might be an internal problem that drove the shark near the beach. Unfortunately, the shark had no teeth, indicating that its health was already critical.

People in a dilemma

Despite efforts to help the shark, there has been criticism that such actions often do not have the desired effect and instead only make things worse. Similar cases have been observed, such as that of a gray seal in mortal danger where human behavior endangered the animal. This behavior highlights the lack of proper training in dealing with stranded marine life.

The incident has also brought the issue of industrial fishing into the spotlight, with Martín pointing out that it wipes out entire shark populations. Spain is one of the world's largest shark hunters, hitting the Mako shark population particularly hard, which is already on the "Red List" of endangered species.

Mako Sharks – A fascinating but endangered animal

Mako sharks are impressive creatures that can grow up to 4 meters long and weigh up to 590 kilos. They are the fastest sharks in the world and can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. Around 50 shark species live around the Canary Islands all year round, including angel sharks, hammerhead sharks and shieldtooth sharks. Nevertheless, the decline in the shark population caused by human influences poses a serious threat to these species.

The incident on Tenerife's beach is another example of how important it is to treat our marine life responsibly. The chances of saving such animals increase with more knowledge and understanding about their habitat and needs. The future of mako sharks and other species is at stake, and it is up to us to protect them.

For more information, see reports from Swabian and Tenerife News.