On February 22, 2026, eyewitnesses filmed a rare Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus), the second-largest shark species globally, off the coast of Cres Island in Croatia's Kvarner Bay. While the video quality is suboptimal, experts from the Croatian Blue World Institute are confident in the identification based on the dorsal fin's distinctive shape. Basking sharks are infrequent visitors to the Adriatic Sea, typically appearing in late winter and spring, and can exceed ten meters in length. These plankton feeders are drawn to the northern Adriatic's rich zooplankton biomass. The species is listed on the IUCN Red List due to historical hunting for its liver oil and fins, and the Blue World Institute encourages reporting of further sightings to aid conservation efforts.