A group of night divers in San Diego, California, had a startling encounter with a rarely seen creature.
CBS 8 reported that a prickly shark sighting occurred off the coast of La Jolla. Among the divers was Liam Dougherty, a recreational diver who filmed the shark despite being understandably scared.
"I was terrified," Dougherty said.
Scripps researchers confirmed it was a prickly shark.
"It was just checking us out," said Cali Lingle, a marine biology graduate student at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, per CBS 8. "It turned around and just looked at us a few times. It was probably confused by our light."
The sharks live in cold water at depths of 300 to 2,000 feet. Zach Merson, a Scripps PhD student who studies sharks, told the outlet there is a deep canyon next to the shallow waters where the shark was seen, and that they occasionally come to shallower water to look for food.
This encounter was rare and not a cause for concern, as prickly sharks are typically not a threat to humans. However, due to rising ocean temperatures, sharks are appearing in unusual territories and with greater frequency in search of resources and suitable habitat, which can lead to possible attacks.
For example, a popular beach in Australia was shut down after multiple reported bull shark sightings.
The prickly shark sighting was a poignant one for the divers.
"It reminded me of how big the ocean really is and how little we know, and gave me motivation to keep protecting and caring for our mysterious and beautiful oceans," Lingle wrote in the caption of the video, posted by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (@scripps_ocean).
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you?
Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades. |
Save $1,000 this year 💸 The footage received understandable awe from viewers.
"What an incredible encounter!" one wrote.
"Epic find!" another agreed. "So cool."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
