For the first time in 10 years, the fastest shark in the world was discovered lair off the coast of Spain, leaving an underwater photographer "confused."
Divers saw the great mako shark swimming close to the Barcelona beach. The shark can achieve peak speeds of 45 mph and a length of 12 feet.
Great white sharks, in contrast, have a peak speed of 25 mph.
A shortfin mako shark was spotted by a "confused" photographer off the coast of the seaside village of Garraf in the province of Barcelona, Spain.
World's Fastest Shark Confuses Divers in Spain After 10 Years
Spanish newspaper El Pais reports that the 2.5-meter (8-foot) marine monster was spotted last week during an excursion by the non-profit Cetacean Association on open seas off the coast of Garraf.
The organization said that throughout its 10 years of operation in the region, it has never encountered this specific kind of shark.
The animal looked unharmed and was swimming "calmly," they said. Photographer David Jara and Carlos Molina confirmed the encounter, GB News reported. The former claimed to be perplexed after seeing the shadowy figure up close.
"We saw a large black shadow in motion. We were a bit confused. But suddenly we saw something protruding from the sea," Jara told El Pais (via Mirror).
ALSO READ: Great White Attacks, Kills Swimmer on the Coastline of South African Beach
The two were on their boat and briefly considered diving into the ocean. Still, they decided against it because of the potential hazards.
The divers initially believed it to be a sunfish, but soon saw a dorsal fin.
Jara and Molina then moved nearby, paused, and approached the boat.
The divers opted to hold off on sharing their discovery until it had been verified after working with experts to identify the species after the photographs had been taken. Although the crew was originally unsure of the species, The Sun claimed that what the divers saw was a mako shark.
Claudio Barría, a marine biologist, said in a Scottish Sun report that the encounter was a "good sign" for the Mediterranean ecology. Barría explained these animals are at risk of extinction and help to keep the balance of marine species.
About Mako Shark
The Red List of Threatened Species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the mako shark as endangered since 2019.
According to Oceanographic, this results from their being sought out so that their fins may be utilized in shark fin soup.
In addition, the species' sluggish growth rate, delayed maturity, and protracted gestation period make them vulnerable to overfishing.
Mako sharks are renowned for their extraordinary velocity and ability to leap when hunting.
They consume a range of food, including tiny marine animals, dead organic materials, other sharks, bony fish like tuna, squids, and other sharks.
RELATED ARTICLE: 10-Foot Mako Shark Seen Struggling Along the Shoreline of Long Island [Watch]
Check out more news and information on Ocean in Science Times.
