A shark was spotted at a beach in Sentosa on the afternoon of Sep. 1, causing swimming and water activities to be temporarily halted as a precautionary measure.

Activities have since resumed.

A spokesperson from Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) confirmed with Mothership that a blacktip reef shark was spotted in the waters of Palawan Beach.

Shark sighting caught on video

Maureen O'Hara shared a video of the shark sighting on Facebook.

Her daughter had been swimming in the lagoon at Palawan Beach when O'Hara noticed "something moving in the water".

"To my surprise, it was a blacktip shark circling the area four or five times."

Recognising it to be a blacktip reef shark, O'Hara elaborated in a comment on the video that she immediately asked her daughter to exit the water for safety, and grabbed her phone to record the encounter.

In the video, someone splashes water onto the shark as it approaches, while O'Hara can be heard chastising them for doing so.

Lifeguards at Palawan Beach instructed everyone to leave the water as they were unsure if the shark posed a threat, O'Hara said.

She said this was the first time she had seen a shark in Singapore waters and suspected the lagoon's netting may have been temporarily opened, allowing the shark to enter.

O'Hara claimed a smaller shark was also spotted nearby by other beachgoers.

She and her daughter were "thrilled to witness such a rare occurrence", adding that many others shared their excitement.

However, one swimmer apparently attempted to catch the shark, albeit unsuccessfully.

Those at the beach were advised to avoid swimming in the area after 3pm.

Sentosa's Beach Patrol Officers and Sentosa Rangers evacuated guests

"As a precaution, swimming and water activities were also halted for Palawan Beach, indicated by the flags that were put up by our Beach Patrol Officers," the spokesperson said.

After drone inspections confirmed no further shark sightings in Sentosa's lagoons, swimming and water activities have since resumed.

"The safety of our guests is of paramount importance to us, and regular protocols are undertaken by our Beach Patrol Officers to monitor the safety of our waters," said the spokesperson.

In the event of any emergencies in Sentosa, guests are advised to contact the Sentosa Rangers at 1800-RANGERS (7264377) for assistance.

Shark is native to Singapore

Senior Lecturer and Assistant Head of the National University of Singapore's Biological Sciences Department, Zeehan Jaafar, told Mothership that blacktip reef sharks are known to occur in Singapore.

The species, native to Singapore, is classified as "Vulnerable" with a decreasing population, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Locally, the species is endangered, according to the Singapore Red Data Book.

"This sighting of a live shark signals that our marine conservation efforts are starting to bear fruit," she continued.

"These sharks are not known to be aggressive or participate in non-provoked attacks," Jaafar explained, adding that the species typically feeds on smaller fishes and invertebrate organisms.

Blacktip reef sharks can grow up to 1.6m in length.

Jaafar advised those who encounter a blacktip reef shark while in water to maintain a safe distance from the fish.

They also should not approach or attempt to touch the shark.

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Top image via Maureen O'Hara/Facebook