AG百家乐在线官网

A battle-scarred great white shark has been caught on video after an incredible 1,100-mile journey - a discovery that scientists say has "major implications" for the study of the infamous species.

The young male is covered in bite marks - likely the work of another shark - and was seen off the coast of Mozambique.

Identified from its facial scars and a tag, the deadly predator was captured on film using a special baited remote underwater video camera (BRUV).

The big fish was matched to a shark sighting off Struisbaai, South Africa, in May 2022 - meaning this young great white had gone on a 1,100-mile voyage this year.

The research was led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Instituto Oceanografico de Mozambique (InOM), who are conducting surveys to assess shark and ray populations off the coast of southern Africa.

Rhett Bennett, part on the BRUV survey project in Mozambique said: "This single observation is of great value to shark science and conservation, as it confirms a transboundary movement, on the scale of thousands of kilometres, of a threatened shark species, which has major implications for the management of this species.

"The individual ID match also highlights yet another value of BRUVs, and specifically video records, as useful research tools for shark and ray science."

Mr Bennett told Newsweek that the marks on the shark's face were likely caused by a tussle with another shark.

Great white sharks can grow to more than six metres long and live for 70 years or more - and swim at speeds of 16mph.

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

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

Read more:
Research confirms suspicion about how sharks navigate the oceans
Jaws-dropping! World's 'biggest great white shark' snapped

The findings of the BRUV camera surveys will help to inform fisheries and resource managers in South Africa and Mozambique about the migratory capacity of white sharks, and the need for multilateral or at least bilateral management measures for this and other threatened shark and ray species that are moving between the waters of these countries.

Alison Towner, part of the white shark tagging study in South Africa said: "This important ID match and confirmation of transboundary movement has come at a time that the Southern African white shark population is facing the additional threat of orca predation on top of other anthropogenic threats such as shark nets.

"It's a great example of collaboration between different research platforms."