Boy encounters basking shark while surfing at Skatvika beach in Senja, Norway

Iver Eriksen Berglund, a 15-year-old boy, had a remarkable experience while on a family beach trip to Skatvika in Senja, Norway. While on the beach, he spotted a large creature swimming in the water. Curious, he paddled out on his surfboard and encountered a five-meter-long shark.

“I was a bit scared because I didn’t know what it was,” he recounted, noting the shark’s wide mouth filled with white teeth. The shark seemed intrigued by the surfboard, swimming around it several times.

After his encounter, Iver researched and discovered that he had come very close to a species known as the basking shark.

Basking sharks, fortunately, do not eat humans; their diet consists mainly of zooplankton. Iver described the experience as thrilling, stating, “It’s such a large animal that it was quite an experience.”

As the second-largest shark species, basking sharks can grow up to 11 meters long and are known for their ability to swim impressive distances across all oceans. Claudia Junge, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, reassured that these sharks are not a danger to humans. She humorously mentioned that the only risk is falling off a boat while trying to observe them.

Claudia is involved in a research project called “Sharks on the Move” and notes that basking sharks are globally endangered. Despite recent sightings of this fascinating species in Norway, understanding their population size remains challenging, as it’s difficult to count individuals in such vast ocean areas.

She advises that if you find yourself near a basking shark in the water, it’s best to remain calm and respectful, giving the creature plenty of space without attempting to touch or disturb it.