A Vancouver Island divemaster captured rare video of a blunt-nose six-gill shark during a dive on Monday [1, 2].
The encounter provides a rare glimpse of an elusive predator in its natural habitat, offering visual data on a species that is seldom documented in the wild.
Carl Sorenson was diving in the waters of British Columbia, Canada, when he encountered the shark [1, 2]. Sorenson said he was originally searching for a giant Pacific octopus when the predator appeared [1, 2].
The shark is distinguished by its six gill slits [1]. While some reports suggested a team of scientists captured the footage, the recording was produced by Sorenson, a local divemaster [1, 2].
Footage of the blunt-nose six-gill shark is uncommon due to the animal's depth preferences and secretive behavior. The video shows the massive shark navigating the coastal waters of Vancouver Island [2].
Sorenson's discovery highlights the biodiversity of the Pacific Northwest coastline. The interaction occurred without incident, allowing the videographer to document the shark's physical characteristics, and movement patterns [1, 2].
“Sorenson was originally searching for a giant Pacific octopus when he encountered the shark.”
The documentation of a blunt-nose six-gill shark by a civilian diver underscores the importance of citizen science in marine biology. Because these sharks are rarely seen by researchers, high-quality video from divemasters helps scientists understand the distribution and behavioral patterns of deep-water predators in the North Pacific.
