Marine Biologist Captures Stunning Underwater Footage of a Nearly Extinct Species

In the past several years, several astonishing wildlife species have gone extinct, leaving behind their fossils, records, and fading memories. From the dinosaurs to the majestic mammoths, many creatures that once thrived are now nowhere to be seen. This is true for both the land and marine species. In one such breathtaking discovery, an underwater camera has recently captured a rare glimpse of a marine species that was once thought to be on the brink of extinction. The unexpected footage offers scientists and researchers fresh hope for the survival of the critically endangered angel shark near the Welsh coast.

For the first time since 2021, an angel shark, one of the rarest endangered species, has been caught on camera gliding through the waters of Cardigan Bay. It was made possible by the help of monitoring equipment placed by the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Center (CBMWC), as part of an ongoing project to study the marine biodiversity. This initiative aims to better understand and protect vulnerable sea life in the region. Several species across the world have been facing adverse effects due to various human activities, as reported by The Guardian.

One of the research managers, Dr Sarah Perry, spoke about the experience and said, “We were thrilled to record an angel shark in Cardigan Bay, a rare and exciting encounter." She added, "[The Discovery] comes at a crucial time, as the Senedd and UK government discuss a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas." Once widespread throughout the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, the angel shark has suffered steep population declines, mainly because of habitat disruption and being unintentionally caught in fishing nets, as reported by the BBC.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also places angel sharks in its Red List. Perry also said, "These findings highlight the urgent need to protect these fragile habitats from damaging activities like bottom trawling." WTSWW also stated, “While Cardigan Bay and other vital habitats are full of incredible wildlife and store vast amounts of carbon. Yet, they are threatened with destruction by industrial-scale fishing in many areas." Apart from threatening the marine species, the loss of these habitats also disrupts the entire ecosystems, creating far-reaching ecological impacts in the region.

Therefore, to safeguard the vulnerable species, cooperation is required not only from local and national authorities but also from the fishing industry. Meanwhile, in 2019, Joanna Barker, a member of the Zoological Society of London, said, "If we lose the angel shark, we lose a really important lineage of evolutionary history that we can't get from any other shark species." This came when fishermen occasionally reported spotting the rare shark in Welsh waters, hinting that the species still lives there. However, its scattered appearances made it difficult to pinpoint exactly where these rare creatures lived, as reported by the BBC.

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