Edhat Staff
A Malibu filmmaker collaborating with researchers at UC Riverside may have captured never-before-seen footage of a newborn Great White Shark off the coast of Carpinteria.
Great White sharks, known as the largest predatory sharks in the world, have long remained a mystery in their early years of life. However, a small, nearly solid white shark swimming off the coast of Carpinteria could potentially be the first of its kind ever caught on camera, providing valuable insights into the prime predator’s reproduction.
The extraordinary sighting was documented by wildlife filmmaker and citizen scientist Carlos Gauna, also known as the Malibu Artist, who recorded the spectacle with his drone in July of last year. The footage of the 5-foot-long pup, displaying a predominantly white coloration, has most recently been published in the Environmental Biology of Fishes Journal by Gauna and UC Riverside biology doctoral student Phillip Sternes.
The footage captured a surprising milky film emanating from the animal, which the scientists believe to be embryonic membrane from birth. Additionally, the dorsal fin of the shark appears to be distinctly different from the pointed fins typically seen on older Great White sharks, perhaps purposeful as a pointed fin would hinder the birthing process.
As researchers continue to study this footage, the unique insights obtained from this sighting have the potential to reshape our understanding of Great White shark reproduction and shed light on the early stages of these fascinating creatures’ lives.
That’s awesome. Is the drone in the water or above it?
I think it’s above it. There’s a pretty cool video (I think linked here) where you can see the pregnant shark dive down and then this little guy pop up. Really cool!
The moment of life! That’s awesome. The shark is so clear and vivid. Looks like a BIG BABY!
Imagine if there was a drone in the water lol, momma would probably not take kindly
Yes, life begins at birth.
Pretty sure the white I saw a few months back right off there was the mom. Truly impressive animal. Almost boat length, and her girth was absurd.
Pretty cool you got to see one in the wild like that!
Baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo