Imagine plunging into the depths of the ocean, only to come face-to-face with a creature so rare, it feels like something out of a sci-fi movie. That’s exactly what happened to a group of student divers off the coast of California recently, and the encounter has left everyone—from marine biologists to casual observers—both awestruck and a little unnerved. But here’s where it gets controversial: could this sighting be a sign of something bigger changing in our oceans?
In a heart-pounding moment captured on camera, a group of divers near La Jolla, just outside San Diego, stumbled upon an extremely rare deep-water shark known as the prickly shark. The footage, though murky, is nothing short of mesmerizing. One diver’s head snaps around as a massive fin emerges from the shadows, just above the seabed. Moments later, the rest of the seven-foot creature comes into view, its presence both majestic and unsettling. The shark quickly turns away as the divers shine their torches, but the encounter leaves an indelible mark.
Liam Dougherty, a recreational diver who filmed the incident, couldn’t hide his fear. “I was terrified,” he told CBS 8. “I’m terrified of sharks.” Yet, his fear didn’t overshadow the sheer rarity of the moment. Cali Lingle, a UC San Diego student who was also on the dive, shared her astonishment on social media. “At first, I thought it was a sevengill shark, but then I saw two dorsal fins and realized it was at least seven feet long,” she said. “It felt like discovering a new species. None of us had ever seen anything like it before.”
And this is the part most people miss: prickly sharks are typically found in the colder, deeper waters of the Pacific Ocean, often at depths of up to 3,600 feet. They’re not known to frequent the California coastline, making this sighting all the more extraordinary. These deep-sea dwellers are incredibly elusive, and there are no official estimates of their population in the wild. Despite their intimidating size and thorn-like denticles—which give them their name—they pose no threat to humans.
Zach Merson, a Scripps PhD student specializing in shark research, weighed in on the unusual sighting. He explained that the shark’s presence in shallower waters was likely due to the unique geography of La Jolla. “We have a submarine canyon here, which means we have a deep habitat right next to a shallow one,” he told CBS 8. “So, it’s not entirely surprising that prickly sharks might venture into shallower waters in search of food.”
For Lingle, the encounter was a powerful reminder of the ocean’s vastness and mystery. “It made me realize how much we still don’t know about our oceans,” she said. “It’s a call to action to protect and care for these incredible ecosystems.”
But here’s the thought-provoking question: Could this rare sighting be a symptom of broader environmental changes, like shifting ocean temperatures or altered migration patterns? Or is it simply a fascinating anomaly? Let us know what you think in the comments—this is one conversation that’s sure to make waves.
