Great White Sharks Have Been in the Mediterranean Sea for Millions of Years—but Sightings Are Incredibly Rare
Great White Sharks Have Been in the Mediterranean Sea for Millions of Years—but Sightings Are Incredibly Rare
大白鲨在地中海已存在数百万年，但目击记录极其罕见
An encounter with a great white shark is undoubtedly a “thrilling” experience, considered especially rare in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The latest sighting, which has attracted media attention and made headlines around the world, occurred during a dive in the Strait of Sicily carried out by volunteers from Ghost Diving and Healthy Seas, organizations dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems.
与大白鲨相遇无疑是一次“惊心动魄”的体验，在地中海海域，这种经历尤为罕见。最近的一次目击事件引起了媒体的广泛关注，并登上了全球各大新闻头条。该事件发生在西西里海峡的一次潜水活动中，参与者是致力于保护海洋生态系统的组织“幽灵潜水”（Ghost Diving）和“健康海洋”（Healthy Seas）的志愿者。
The encounter was documented by diver Derk Remmers, who told the BBC that he struggled to switch on his camera because of the excitement. The footage—the first ever recorded of a great white shark in its Mediterranean Sea habitat—shows a huge adult male specimen of Carcharodon carcharias, a native species that is now considered critically endangered.
这次相遇由潜水员德克·雷默斯（Derk Remmers）记录下来。他告诉英国广播公司（BBC），由于过于激动，他当时甚至难以打开摄像机。这段影像记录了大白鲨在其地中海栖息地的首个视频资料，画面中是一条巨大的成年雄性大白鲨（学名：Carcharodon carcharias），这一物种目前已被列为极度濒危。
The Great White Shark
大白鲨
Carcharodon carcharias, commonly known as the great white shark, belongs to the Lamnidae family and is one of the largest predatory fish in existence. It can exceed 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weigh more than 2 tons. It feeds primarily on fish, including rays and other sharks, though adult individuals may also prey on marine mammals like seals and dolphins.
大白鲨（Carcharodon carcharias）属于鼠鲨科，是现存最大的掠食性鱼类之一。其体长可超过6米（20英尺），体重超过2吨。它们主要以鱼类为食，包括鳐鱼和其他鲨鱼，不过成年大白鲨也会捕食海豹和海豚等海洋哺乳动物。
Equipped with an extremely keen sense of smell and excellent swimming abilities, the great white shark is considered one of the most efficient apex predators in the food chain. As such, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems by regulating the populations of its prey.
大白鲨拥有极其敏锐的嗅觉和卓越的游泳能力，被认为是食物链中最顶尖、最高效的掠食者之一。因此，它们通过调节猎物种群数量，在维持海洋生态系统平衡方面发挥着至关重要的作用。
An Endangered Species
濒危物种
Found in temperate and subtropical waters throughout the world’s oceans, the great white shark has also inhabited the Mediterranean Sea for millions of years. Today, however, its population there has been drastically reduced, and sightings have become increasingly rare. Despite its reputation, attacks on humans are very uncommon. And the species is increasingly threatened by human activities, particularly accidental capture in fishing operations, illegal fishing, habitat loss, and the decline of its natural prey.
大白鲨分布于全球各大洋的温带和亚热带海域，在地中海也已栖息了数百万年。然而，如今其地中海种群数量已大幅减少，目击记录也变得愈发罕见。尽管大白鲨名声在外，但它们对人类的攻击行为非常少见。该物种正日益受到人类活动的威胁，特别是捕捞作业中的误捕、非法捕捞、栖息地丧失以及天然猎物数量的减少。
For this reason, Carcharodon carcharias is classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, while the Mediterranean population is considered the most precarious and is classified as critically endangered.
正因如此，大白鲨在世界自然保护联盟（IUCN）红色名录中被列为“易危”物种，而地中海种群的情况则更为严峻，被列为“极度濒危”。
A Rare Encounter
罕见的相遇
Every documented sighting of a great white shark in the Mediterranean therefore represents a valuable opportunity, as it provides useful information for scientific research and conservation strategies for the species in a sea where its presence is now extremely rare. At the same time, this latest encounter can be interpreted as an encouraging sign for marine biodiversity and a reminder of the importance of continuing and strengthening conservation efforts in marine ecosystems, which are considered among the most fragile in the world.
因此，每一次在地中海记录到大白鲨的目击事件都代表着一次宝贵的机会，因为它为科学研究和该物种的保护策略提供了有用的信息，尤其是在这个大白鲨踪迹已极其罕见的海域。同时，这次最新的相遇可以被解读为海洋生物多样性的一个令人鼓舞的信号，也提醒我们必须持续并加强对海洋生态系统的保护，因为这些生态系统被认为是世界上最脆弱的系统之一。
“Much of our knowledge about great white sharks in the Mediterranean comes from dead specimens caught during fishing operations,” says Carlo Cattano, a researcher at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn. “Observations like this are extremely valuable for improving our understanding of the distribution, habits, and behavior of this critically endangered species, whose survival is threatened by human activities. Our shark research has allowed us over time to identify several critical areas for threatened species, and this sighting is particularly significant in validating the conservation value of this area.”
“我们对地中海大白鲨的大部分了解，都来自于捕捞作业中捕获的死亡个体，”安东·多恩动物学站（Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn）的研究员卡洛·卡塔诺（Carlo Cattano）表示。“像这样的观察记录对于增进我们对这一极度濒危物种的分布、习性和行为的了解极具价值，它们的生存正受到人类活动的威胁。我们的鲨鱼研究使我们能够逐步确定受威胁物种的几个关键区域，而这次目击事件对于验证该区域的保护价值具有重要意义。”
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.
本文最初发表于《连线》意大利版（WIRED Italia），由意大利语翻译而来。