• Massive shark found at unexpected depth in Antartica
• First recording of a shark this far south with video released

A research team spotted a massive shark moving slowly over a barren seabed, at a depth beyond the reach of sunlight, in a surprising Antarctic sighting.

Researcher Alan Jamieson said many scientists previously believed sharks did not inhabit the frigid waters of Antarctica, until this sleeper shark briefly appeared in front of a video camera.

The shark was filmed in January 2025, estimated to be 3–4 meters long, and permission was granted to a newspaper to release the video on Wednesday, February 18.

Jamieson noted, “We didn’t expect to see sharks here; the general rule is you don’t find sharks in Antarctica.”

He added, “And it’s not a small shark; it’s huge and powerful, like a sea tank.”

The camera was deployed by the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre near the South Shetland Islands, within the Southern Ocean boundaries (south of 60° latitude).

The shark was observed at 490 meters deep, where water temperature was near freezing at 1.27°C.

A small skate, a shark relative resembling a stingray, was also seen resting on the seabed, unfazed by the larger shark’s presence, which was expected given its known southern range.

Jamieson confirmed he found no prior records of another shark in the Southern Ocean.

Peter Kyne, an independent conservation biologist from Charles Darwin University, also noted this was the first recording of a shark at such a southern latitude.

Kyne suggested climate change and warming oceans may be driving sharks into colder Southern Hemisphere waters, though data near Antarctica remains limited due to the region’s remoteness.