Megamouth sharks troll the deep sea for the smallest bits of food,
plankton and krill, trapping them in the massive caves that are their
jaws. They are mysterious and extraordinarily rare — and almost never
seen by humans.
But on the morning of the 28th of January, last week Wednesday, a
15-foot adult male megamouth washed up on the shores of Barangay
Marigondon in the Philippines. And according to reports, the shark was
dead when fishermen discovered it. It had been trapped in one of the
fishermen’s nets. After contacting local authorities, it was confirmed
to be the ever elusive megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios.
With only 64 previous sightings of this type of shark ever
recorded, its discovery was thrilling. The shark’s cause of death has
yet to be determined but it is believed its body will likely go on
display at Albay Parks and Wildlife Centre in the Philippines.
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photos.
Photo credit: DailyMail UK
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