The incredible moment of what is believed to be the first-ever footage of a live newborn great white shark has been captured by researchers.
The amazing sight was taken off the coast of California by Carlos Gauna, who shares his incredible clips on Instagram. The filmmaker was with UC Riverside biology doctoral student Phillip Sternes scanning the waves near Santa Barbara last year. However, their drone managed to pick up the young shark in the remarkable find.
As they reviewed the footage from Juyl 2023, they realized the shark wasn’t something like they had seen before – and they have come across a lot. This pup was smaller than usual, with a pale film over its entire body.
“We enlarged the images, put them in slow motion, and realized the white layer was being shed from the body as it was swimming,” Sternes said.
“I believe it was a newborn white shark shedding its embryonic layer.”
The find could help future researchers dive into the mysteries of the great white as well as their mating and birthing habits. Juvenile sharks can be up to 10 feet long.
Guana explained: “Where white sharks give birth is one of the holy grails of shark science. No one has ever been able to pinpoint where they are born, nor has anyone seen a newborn baby shark alive.”
Scientists think great white sharks are born out at sea, but this youngster was only filmed 1,000 feet from the beach. Therefore, it’s raised new questions as to whether it was born in shallow waters, offering new pathways of research.
Great whites are considered an internationally endangered species. The vulnerable population is difficult to track, but they are threatened by poaching and fishing practices. Their numbers decreased after years of being hunted for their fins and teeth or as trophies through sport fishing.
But the animal can also be caught by commercial fisheries after becoming entangled in meshes that are set up to protect beaches.
If they were to become extinct, it could affect the entire ocean ecosystem, as they also help to maintain their place in the food chain but also seagrass and coral reef habitats. As apex predators, they feast on seals and large fish, which helps to keep the ocean in balance.
After decades of conservation, their numbers are believed to be recuperating in some East Coast waters off of New York.
