Article Courtesy: popculture.com | Originally published: 8/3/2019 | Please click here for original article.
With shark week in full swing, some of the most jaw-dropping deep sea footage ever recorded is making the rounds online. This includes footage from an expedition in the Caribbean, where a 20-foot-long bluntnose sixgill shark was seen in action. The real-life sea monster was about twice the length of the submarine that encountered it.
The video comes from the OceanX research crew, who encountered the terrifying bluntnose sixgill shark in the Bahamas. The massive female came up from the depths, charging their submarine with teeth already gnashing. The shark has a unique and terrifying look, with loose, flowing skin and huge, articulate eyes.
“This is a monster,” one the crew members says in the clip. “She is huge.”
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”3.22.7″ z_index_tablet=”500″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQb3PK97RYM” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.22.7″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_vertical_length=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_text_shadow_blur_strength=”text_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_vertical_length=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ link_text_shadow_blur_strength=”link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_vertical_length=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ul_text_shadow_blur_strength=”ul_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_vertical_length=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ ol_text_shadow_blur_strength=”ol_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_vertical_length=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ quote_text_shadow_blur_strength=”quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_2_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_3_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_4_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_5_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength=”header_6_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ z_index_tablet=”500″]This was a rare sighting, as the bluntnose sixgill shark is one of the most elusive species in the ocean. That is because they typically live in the depths, far from light and out of range of the average research mission. As glad as these scientists were to see one, it is also an unsettling occasion to see one rising so high.
The bluntnose sixgill shark is considered to be the dominant predator of its deep sea ecosystem, according to a report by The New York Post. It is among the largest and oldest species of sharks alive today, although it does not hold either title absolutely.
The blutnose sixgill shark does predate most dinosaurs, the OceanX researchers believe. It evolved millions of years ago, and has not needed any new adaptations since, as it still finds great success in the deep oceans.
The OceanX expedition was launched in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Florida State University, the Cape Eleuthera Institute and Moore Charitable Foundation. In addition to the video, the researchers reportedly succeeded in tagging another bluntnose sixgill shark, aiding in future research immensely.
Their footage featured heavily in Shark Week 2019, which comes to a close this weekend. Discovery honored its annual event with some harrowing footage, informative programming and plenty of new and interesting information. The last few years have seen some unusual developments in shark migration patterns, so marine biologists have as many questions as answers theses days, but it still makes for good television.
Shark Week 2019 concludes on Sunday, Aug. 4 with an encore presentation of this year’s best specials. The marathon runs all day long on Discovery.
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