Scientists Film 2 Live Goblin Sharks, Pushing Known Depth 700 Meters Lower
Updated
Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jun 16
Scientists Film 2 Live Goblin Sharks, Pushing Known Depth 700 Meters Lower
3 articles · Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jun 16
Summary
Two live Goblin sharks were recorded in their natural deep-sea habitat for the first time—one near Jarvis Island in 2019 and another on the Tonga Trench slope in 2024.
The footage, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, shows the elusive species alive in the central Pacific and places one shark 700 meters deeper than previously known.
Researchers captured the first shark with a remotely operated vehicle and the second on a baited camera during an Inkfish Open Ocean Expedition, after more than 50 days of filming between 800 and 10,800 meters.
Goblin sharks had previously been seen alive only after accidental capture in shallower waters, and the new sightings expand a range once thought limited to pockets off the western U.S., Australia, Japan, and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Aaron Judah said the broader range could help put the species on regional management plans and national biodiversity lists, underscoring how much of the deep ocean remains undocumented.
In June 2026, scientists published the first confirmed live footage of a goblin shark in its natural deep-sea habitat, marking a historic breakthrough in marine biology. This achievement was made during a 2024 expedition to the Tonga Trench, where researchers from the Minderoo-University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Center led the Inkfish Open Ocean Expedition. Using a baited camera on a bottom lander, they successfully recorded the elusive shark, capturing its undisturbed behavior and appearance for the first time. Previously, goblin sharks had only been seen alive after being accidentally caught on fishing lines.