Shark Week: Goblin Shark

https://biodb.com/species/goblin-shark/

Things are gonna take a turn for the weird today with us examining one of the ocean’s strangest creatures: The Goblin Shark. 

1. Although photos of Goblin Sharks are rare due to the animal living at least 4265 feet deep (https://oceana.org/marine-life/goblin-shark/), I think we can all agree they are creepy as hell. They have definitely earned their names. Usually, the only time they come up to the surface is at night, spending most of their time at the bottom of the ocean. “They've even been found in the midnight zone, a habitat 1,000 to 4,000m deep that's constantly cloaked in darkness” (https://www.originaldiving.com/blog/top-ten-goblin-shark-facts).

2. Not only can Goblin Sharks extend their jaws, they can completely unhinge them. (https://oceana.org/marine-life/goblin-shark/). In fact, they can extend their jaws at ten feet per second. (https://www.originaldiving.com/blog/top-ten-goblin-shark-facts) This is known as a protrusible jaw. Snakes have it as well, though not to this degree. 

3. The shark does not do well in captivity. It was on display in a Japanese aquarium for a very short period of time (a day) before it died. (The Little Chunky Book of Sharks)

4. Scientists believe Goblin Sharks grow between nine and twenty feet, averaging at around 12-13. (https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2024/02/08/all-about-goblin-sharks/)

5. Goblin Sharks have existed for roughly 125 million years! This dates it back to the dinosaurs. This is why the creature is sometimes called “the living fossil” since people had seen the shark in fossils before they saw the living creature. (https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2024/02/08/all-about-goblin-sharks/)

6. https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2024/02/08/all-about-goblin-sharks/    If you follow this link you can see a video of a goblin shark eating. I know.  Its weird.

7. The goblin shark was first discovered by a Japanese fisherman in 1898 who probably got the fright of his life. 

8. Only around 50 Goblin Sharks have ever been recorded (https://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/sharks/goblin-shark.htm)

9. The color of the Goblin Shark is a pale pink, unlike many other sharks (https://www.sharktrust.org/blog/creature-feature-goblin-shark)

1. Unlike the other sharks I featured this week the Goblin Shark isn’t aggressive and poses almost no threat to humans….even if it might look the scariest!