Rare encounter with 'very large sharks' captured off Ireland
When wildlife photographer Florian Walsh noticed "activity" in the waters off Ventry Bay Beach, near Dingle in Ireland, he raced back home knowing he and his friends were witnessing something rare.
Walsh picked up his drone, drove back to the grey glass harbour and launched the device, in the hopes of recording the rare shiver of "very large sharks".
He told 9news.com.au the scenes he captured on April 29 - are ones he "will never forget".
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Walsh said the harbour was "full" of basking sharks. Florian Walsh Photography
A kayak used for scale demonstrates how large basking sharks can grow. They can reach lengths of 10-metres. Florian Walsh Photography
"As soon as I got the drone up my jaw dropped," he said.
"It was just absolutely mind-blowing to see so many in one place. The harbor was full of them, I would say that there was about 40-plus sharks.
"I noticed a few kayakers which was perfect to use as a scale as they are very large sharks."
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While shivers of basking sharks are known to form, sightings of them are not common as the animals are normally seen swimming alone.. Florian Walsh Photography
Basking sharks are found in cool waters, and can reach incredible lengths of up to 10 metres.
But they are gentle giants, with small teeth and "brush-like gill rakers" that strain food from water, Australian Museum says.
"They were feeding on plankton and very gently swimming around," Walsh said.
"We get Basking sharks here every year but this was a very special and rare moment to be able to capture an image with at least a dozen in one shot."
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In October, 2022 scientists off the coast of New England in the USspotted several clusters of basking sharks swimming in an "unusual" cartwheel formation.
"Usually, we see basking sharks swimming alone, so this was quite surprising," a statement about the sighting read.
In Australia basking sharks are typically found off the southern coastline, but they have been sighted off Port Stephens in New South Wales.
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