As the world is in lockdown and isolation because of Covid-19 more and more footage of animals taking over our public space pop up. Wild boars roaming the outskirts of Barcelona, deer running around in the suburbs of London, pumas checking out towns for food in Chile, dolphins spotted in harbors and whales are seen off the French Mediterranean coast around Marseille. But what about sharks?

With less boat traffic and no people in the water, it gives space to marine life to come closer to shore. And yes, among them also sharks.

Basking shark

In Cornwall, UK, a crab fisherman suddenly realizes he has company from a huge basking shark:

Blue sharks

In Italy blue sharks were seen swimming in harbors. Like this one in the town of Pozzuoli:

Or in the town of Vibo Marina:

South Africa

In South Africa sharks have all coastal waters for themselves, sharing them with only other marine life. South Africans in a 21-day lockdown and swimming is forbidden. The government has announced to pull all shark nets out along a stretch of coast on the Indian Ocean. According to the KwaZulu-Natal Shark Board who manage the shark nets and Bather Protection in the region, gill nets and drum lines will be removed to allow marine animals to move freely. This means not only sharks, but dolphins and turtles will be returning to waters abandoned by bathers. By pulling all bathing defences during the state lockdown, it is hoped that marine life will benefit from uninterrupted access to the coastline.