Battle-scarred great white shark caught on video after incredible 1,100-mile journey | World news

A battle-scarred great white shark has been captured on video after an incredible 1,100-mile journey – a discovery scientists say is of “huge importance” to the study of the infamous species.

A young male is covered in bite marks – probably from another shark – and has been spotted off the coast Mozambique.

The deadly predator, which was identified by facial scars and a tag, was caught on film using a special remote-controlled underwater baited video camera (BRUV).

A large fish was compared to a shark observed off Struysbaai, South Africain May 2022 – meaning this young great white has embarked on an 1,100-mile journey this year.

The study was led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Oceanographic Institute of Mozambique (InOM), which conduct research to assess shark and tipper populations off the coast of southern Africa.

Rhett Bennett, a member of the BRUV research project in Mozambique, said: “This single sighting is of great importance to shark science and conservation, as it confirms the transboundary movement of an endangered shark species on a scale of thousands of kilometres. major implications for the management of this species.

“The unique identification match also highlights another value of BRUV, and in particular the video recordings, as useful tools for shark and ray research.”

Mr. Bennett told Newsweek that the marks on the shark’s face were likely the result of a fight with another shark.

Big white sharks can grow to over six meters long and live 70 years or more – and swim at 26 miles per hour.

While this species is responsible for more recorded human bites than any other shark, experts do not believe they target humans.

Instead, many scientists believe that mistaken identity is often a factor, especially in low-visibility areas.

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Findings from BRUV research will help inform fisheries and resource managers in South Africa and Mozambique about the migratory capacity of great white sharks and the need for multilateral, or at least bilateral, management measures for this and other threatened shark and tipper species. disappearance. moving between the waters of these countries.

Alison Towner, researcher on white shark tagging in South Africa, said: “This important ID match and confirmation of transboundary movement comes at a time when the white shark population in South Africa is facing the added threat of killer whale predation in addition to other anthropogenic threats such as shark nets.

“This is a great example of collaboration between different research platforms.”