April 12, 2010: Shack the Shark

[xoxoxoBruce]

Shack is a 15 ft great White Shark, Tagged by New Zealand's National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research.
This ain't no candyass Dolphin we're talkin' 'bout here, Shack holds the record for diving 1200 meters or 3,937 feet, in the open ocean.

Malcolm Francis, principal scientist in charge of the tagging study, is calling this "the world's deepest great white shark dive record" and said it extends the predators' known vertical range by about 600 feet--which is substantial given that great whites, until fairly recently, were regarded as coastal predators.
If placed into perspective Shack might as well have been swimming upward into outer space: That's how bizarre the marine universe is at the depth to which the shark delved.

So what was so interesting down there?

This is the realm of alien-like sea jellies and squids. It's also home to monster-like, needle-toothed predatory fishes and eels that utilize bioluminescence for light and have spawned nature TV specials and, subsequently, nightmares. What was Shack doing in the company of viperfish, hatchetfish, dragonfish, sabertooth fish, fangtooth fish and gulper eels? Unfortunately, nobody knows with certainty.

I suppose he could have overslept and sank too far, but probably just had a craving for sushi.

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