Researchers at the University of La Laguna in Spain confirmed the first-ever live sighting of a goblin shark in the Canary Islands.
According to Canarian Weekly, the rare goblin shark was observed about 9.5 kilometers off the coast of San Cristóbal in Gran Canaria at a depth of roughly 900 meters. It was accidentally caught and brought up during a recreational fishing trip, examined, photographed, and released alive.
This discovery has helped expand scientific understanding of one of the planet's most elusive marine species. Rare deep-sea encounters like this are seldom documented and serve as a hopeful reminder of how much of the ocean remains to be discovered and protected.
Images of the shark enabled researchers to verify its distinctive features, including its elongated snout, protruding jaws, and flexible fins. The sighting is the first confirmed record for the islands and only the second in the broader region.
In Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences, the researchers detailed that the finding underscores the value of the region's deep-sea environments and the species remains poorly studied but ecologically significant. It was first described in 1898, and since then, fewer than 250 individuals have been recorded in the world.
"This capture is the first confirmed record of M. owstoni [the goblin shark] in the Canary Islands," the scientists explained. "This record constitutes a notable expansion of the species' known distribution range in the Central-Eastern Atlantic."
"Wow that's so rare," one user replied to a post of the shark's image on X.
Technologies like trail cameras and underwater imaging help scientists gauge animal populations and document evidence that contributes to greater scientific discovery about endangered species.
Meanwhile, according to Nature India, "Ecologists and citizen scientists are increasingly using mobile phones to monitor and conserve our floral and faunal wealth."
The discovery of the shark also suggests a healthy marine ecosystem in the area, which benefits human populations through improved water quality, sustained food sources, and climate regulation.
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 
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
