A newborn great white shark may have been photographed for the first time, a study published Tuesday suggests, which could help improve protection of this vulnerable species.
Young white sharks have already been seen in the wild but this is potentially the first time that images have emerged of an individual that was born only a few hours ago, according to experts.
“No one had ever been able to locate their birthplace or see a living newborn,” emphasizes photographer Carlos Gauna, who captured this moment and published photos in the specialized journal Environmental Biology of Fishes. “It’s the holy grail of shark research.”
With a doctoral student from the University of Riverside (California), Phillip Sternes, Carlos Gauna observed a pregnant female in early July 2023 near the Californian coast, near the city of Santa Barbara.
The female appeared to dive deep before a small shark emerged to the surface shortly after, looking directly into the lens of a drone camera.
Experts wondered about a thin white layer that surrounded the small shark, which got rid of it while swimming. They made two hypotheses: it could be milk secreted in utero by the mother to nourish it or a skin disease.
In any case, the researchers must now confirm that they have identified a birthplace, hoping to thus encourage the protection of this species classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Sharks are in fact often collateral victims of fishing or culling campaigns to protect beaches, while attacks on humans are rare.
“By knowing exactly the places where they go to give birth, we will be able to protect these areas from the negative effects of the presence of humans: fishing activities, destruction of habitats, noise linked to maritime traffic…,” he said. AFP Heike Zidowitz, a WWF official in Germany, who did not participate in the study.
