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For the first time in history, scientists have filmed live goblin sharks in their natural, deep-ocean home. This major breakthrough was led by a research team from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. The observations give experts an unprecedented look at one of the world’s rarest and most mysterious sharks. Importantly, the team studied the animals without removing them from the water or harming them.
Before this recent discovery, every confirmed video or observation of a live goblin shark came from a tragic accident. These sharks were usually caught accidentally on fishing lines. They were then pulled up to the surface, where divers could briefly examine them. However, the sharks typically died shortly after being brought to the light and pressure changes. The new research, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, reports two healthy goblin sharks observed directly in the wild. One shark was seen near a seamount close to Jarvis Island. The other was recorded along the steep slope of the Tonga Trench.
Goblin sharks are often described as "living fossils." They are the only surviving members of a shark family that dates back nearly 125 million years. These new encounters significantly expand what scientists know about the species. They have learned more about where the sharks live and how deep in the ocean they can survive.
Aaron Judah led the study. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. He works in the Deep-Sea Fish Ecology Lab and the Deep-Sea Animal Research Center (DARC). Judah expressed his honor and surprise at the findings. "Seeing the most iconic of all the deep-sea sharks alive and looking healthy in its natural habitat is a unique honor," Judah said. He was also very surprised by how deep the species was found. The observation from the slope of the Tonga Trench is nearly 700 meters deeper than the deepest depth previously recorded for this species.
Judah explained that the Tonga Trench sighting also sets a new depth record for the entire order of Lamniformes. This group is also known as mackerel sharks. It includes familiar and powerful species such as the great white shark, the basking shark, and the mako shark. These sharks are known for living in shallower, warmer waters. Finding a goblin shark so deep challenges previous assumptions about their habitat limits.