All beaches in the northern city of Haifa were closed to swimmers Friday morning after a lifeguard reported spotting a large marine animal believed to be a whale shark near the city’s southern shoreline, municipal officials said.
The Haifa Municipality said it had alerted the Planning, Environment and Sustainability Unit, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Coast Guard and will continue to update the public on any developments.
Dr. Adi Barash, CEO of Sharks in Israel, urged the public not to disturb whale sharks if encountered. “As we behave in Eilat and with wildlife in general, we enjoy the sighting, take photos if possible, keep our distance, don’t block or chase them and always act respectfully,” she said.