The largest body of water closest to Croatia is the Adriatic Sea, which is home to several species of sharks. Out of them, the ones that threaten humans are the shortfin mako and the great white. However, these species are only encountered in deep waters and rarely closer to the beaches where people go swimming.
List of the Different Types of Sharks in Croatia
| Species | Maximum Size | Aggressiveness |
| Angel Shark | 4-7 feet | Moderately aggressive |
| Basking Shark | 23-30 feet | Not aggressive |
| Blue Shark | 6-11 feet | Not aggressive |
| Common Thresher Shark | 12-18 feet | Not aggressive |
| Great White Shark | 11-16 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Porbeagle Shark | 6-12 feet | Not aggressive |
| School Shark | 6-7 feet | Not aggressive |
| Shortfin Mako Shark | 6.5-9.5 feet | Highly aggressive |
| Small-spotted Catshark | 1.5-3 feet | Not aggressive |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | 8-12 feet | Not aggressive (but are potentially dangerous) |
| Spiny Dogfish | 2.5-3.5 feet | Not aggressive (due to their small size) |
| Starry Smooth-hound | 4-4.7 feet | Not aggressive |
Recent Cases of Shark Attacks in Croatia >>
FAQs
1. Have there been shark attacks in Croatia?
Over the last 120 years, there have been only 15 fatalities attributed to sharks. The most recent one – a spearfishing incident – was in 2008 and non-fatal.
2. Are there great white sharks in Croatia?
Great whites are uncommon, with only 12 sightings occurring in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. In 1974, a German tourist was attacked by a great white and succumbed to his wounds.
