Deep-sea researchers got a close-up view of an enormous predator when a bluntnose sixgill shark emerged from the inky waters before them.
The National Geographic Pristine Seas team was in a submersible 430m deep off the coast of the Marshall Islands when they were treated to this spectacular sighting.
“Seeing a bluntnose sixgill up close was truly inspiring and one of the highlights and honours of my career,” says Aaron Judah, a marine biologist at National Geographic Pristine Seas who was on the sub at the time.
“Being in a submersible just a few feet away from one, and looking into their eyes, there is a deep sense of knowing or wisdom there.”
These sharks can grow to 5.5m – that’s longer than a Ford Fiesta – and are thought to reach around 80 years old.
“Sixgills are part of the cow shark family, one of the most ancient lineages of sharks on the planet,” says Judah. “They are true apex predators of the deep, feeding on everything from squids and bony fish to marine mammals and sharks, and they act as important scavengers on dead animals fallen to the seafloor.”
In the videos, the huge shark swims leisurely past the sub’s cameras, its eyes glinting in the lights. It was incredible to witness, says Judah: “Seeing a large, presumably old adult in their natural habitat coming to check you out really feels like you have entered another world, one that belongs to them.
Photo and video credit: National Geographic Pristine Seas
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