The Sharks That Live in the Deep

The Cape Eleuthera Institute has recently initiated a new research program investigating the diversity and abundance of deep ocean sharks living in the Bahamas. The program has had a really great start with the team capturing twenty-five animals from six different species in the first three days including some really fascinating deep ocean sharks like the incredibly rare Springer’s sawtail catshark – only described in 1998 and very few records of it anywhere in the world!

Humans know virtually nothing about the species that inhabit the deep ocean realm and this is especially true of deep ocean sharks. As commercial fisheries are turning their attention to the deep many of these deep-water sharks are being exploited without any understanding of their biology and ecology. Read the full account of this incredible research expedition including some more great photos on the CEI project page.