Diver Comes Face to Face With Super Rare Sixgill Shark in Shocking Video
A group of divers in British Columbia, Canada, have filmed a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with one of the most elusive and oldest shark species still in existence.
Garrett Clement was diving in the waters around Vancouver Island, along with Danton West, Connor McTavish and Matteo Endrizzi when the encounter took place.
"When I first saw the shark I knew exactly what it was and that this was going to be an encounter I may only get once in my life," Clement told Newsweek. "I got low and tried to contain my excitement and remain calm.
"When the shark turned for the first time and started swimming directly at me I could feel my heart skip a beat because not only was I going to be able to see this elusive animal, but I was also going to capture it in a way not many people have."
The shark was not threatening to the divers and instead seemed curious and intrigued. "There is a very good chance we were the first humans it had ever seen and it wanted a good look at us," Clement said.
The shark was 6 feet long, which is fairly small for this species. According to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, these sharks can grow to lengths of 18 feet and weigh in at over 1,300 pounds, leading Clement to suspect that this individual was still a juvenile.
Despite their large size, the species does not appear to pose a threat to humans and there have been no records of unprovoked attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History's shark file.
Bluntnose sixgill sharks can be found all over the world, in both tropical and temperate waters. They are a highly migratory species that typically inhabits waters at depths of at least 300 feet. Because they are primarily found in deeper waters, our understanding of this species is fairly limited and encounters are extremely rare.
"Seeing a sixgill is on every British Columbia diver's bucket list, but unfortunately it is becoming more difficult as we have fewer and fewer sharks in our waters each year," Clement said. "I only know a handful of divers who have seen a sixgill. To put that in perspective one diver there that weekend had logged literally thousands of dives without ever seeing one. A sixgill shark is not something you can ever expect to see, only hope to."
Clement shared the footage on his YouTube channel, Uncharted Odyssey. Endrizzi also captured footage of the encounter, which he shared on his own YouTube channel.
"Being in the right spot at the right time next to a shipwreck with a rare animal that is curious about you and is putting on a show. It really is the pinnacle of my four-year career as an underwater videographer," Clement said.
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, populations of this species are declining around the world, classifying them as being "near-threatened" with extinction. One of the largest threats to this species is commercial fishing.
"These animals are being pulled from our waters at an alarming rate. They play a key role in the health of our ocean and without intervention will be eradicated," Clement said. "It has never been more important to understand what is happening in our ocean and what is happening to our sharks and it starts with changing the tragic misconception that these are the bloodthirsty killers found in modern media.
"With my work, I hope to capture the softer side of these animals and show people the ocean is not something to be feared but something precious and in desperate need of our help."
