An unusual, bulky shark was spotted swimming slowly in the deep, dark waters of Antarctica, a region previously not known for shark sightings. The sighting of the sleeper shark, estimated to be between three to four meters long, surprised experts who believed sharks were not present in the cold Antarctic waters.
The footage of the massive shark was captured in January 2025 near the Antarctic Peninsula, off the South Shetland Islands, by a camera operated by the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre. The shark, found at a depth of 490 meters with a water temperature just above freezing, was described as a robust and imposing creature by researcher Alan Jamieson.
The discovery of the shark challenged the common belief that sharks do not inhabit the Antarctic Ocean below the 60-degree south latitude line. The video footage also showed a skate, a shark relative resembling a stingray, on the seabed near the shark, indicating the presence of marine life in the region.
According to Jamieson, the shark’s appearance at such depths could be linked to climate change and warming oceans, potentially driving these creatures towards colder waters. Peter Kyne, a conservation biologist, noted the scarcity of data on shark populations in Antarctica due to the region’s remoteness.
The researchers emphasized the significance of the shark sighting, highlighting the challenges in studying marine life in the Antarctic Ocean. They believe that other shark species could also inhabit the region, feeding on the remains of marine animals that sink to the seabed.
Due to limited research infrastructure at such depths in Antarctic waters, these discoveries are often sporadic and occur mainly during the Southern Hemisphere summer months. The researchers stressed the need for more exploration and monitoring to understand the diverse marine life in the Antarctic Ocean.