Great White sharks ‘could be on their way to British waters’ due to global warming

Rising sea temperatures could mean that alarming ocean predators such as great white sharks could be swimming off Cornwall within 30 years, experts have warned.

A new study by Dr Ken Collins of the University of Southampton predicts that rising sea temperatures may tempt species such as Black Tips, Sand tigers and Hammerheads to British waters.

But he also warned that the fearsome Great White could make its way to our waters.

Dr Collins said, ‘You get Great Whites off the coast of South Africa where the water is colder than here and I see no reason why we should not have them in our waters.

‘There are Great Whites in the Med, which isn’t too far away and so I see no reason why they shouldn’t be spotted here, particularly off the coast of Cornwall where there is an abundant supply of seals, which is their favourite food.’

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An estimated ten million small sharks and 100,000 larger sharks from 40 species are already found in British waters.

Dr Collins said, ‘It’s likely we will be seeing more sharks spread from warmer regions such as the Mediterranean Sea towards our waters in the UK over the next 30 years.

‘These include the likes of blacktips, sand tigers and hammerheads, which are currently found swimming off the coasts of Spain and Portugal.’