The goblin shark, a mysterious creature of the deep sea, often sparks curiosity due to its unusual appearance. Many wonder if this peculiar shark, with its distinctive features, poses a threat to humans. While its looks might suggest aggression, the reality of the goblin shark’s temperament and behavior is quite different.
Deep-Sea Dweller’s Profile
The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rare species, often called a “living fossil” due to its 125-million-year lineage. It has a unique, alien-like appearance, characterized by a long, flattened, blade-like snout that overhangs its mouth. Its skin appears pinkish-gray or pale white, due to semi-translucent skin revealing blood vessels. Even with a closed mouth, its prominent, nail-like teeth are often visible. These sharks typically measure 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet), with some individuals reaching up to 6 meters (20 feet).
This species inhabits the deep ocean, primarily the benthopelagic zone, living and feeding near the seafloor. Goblin sharks are found globally in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, typically at depths greater than 100 meters (330 feet). They are most commonly encountered over upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts. While juveniles may be found in shallower waters, adults generally reside at greater depths, sometimes as deep as 2,000 meters (6,600 feet). Their deep-sea habitat contributes to their rarity, as they are seldom seen by humans.
Unique Hunting and Temperament
Despite its intimidating appearance, the goblin shark is a slow, sluggish creature. Its flabby body, poorly calcified skeleton, weak muscles, and small fins suggest an inactive lifestyle. This slow approach adapts to the deep ocean’s cold temperatures and scarcity of high-energy food, conserving energy.
The goblin shark’s unique hunting strategy compensates for its lack of speed. Its long snout, covered with specialized electroreceptors (ampullae of Lorenzini), detects faint electrical fields from deep-sea prey. Once prey (bony fish, cephalopods, or crustaceans) is detected, the shark employs a remarkable “slingshot feeding” mechanism. Its highly protrusible jaws rapidly extend forward, up to 9.5 times further than other sharks, to snatch prey. This rapid jaw extension, combined with suction feeding, allows the shark to capture its meal with surprising speed, despite its overall sluggish movement.
Human Encounters
Encounters between goblin sharks and humans are exceptionally rare. They inhabit the ocean’s depths, far from typical human activities like swimming or diving. Encounters typically occur as accidental bycatch in deepwater fisheries.
There are no recorded instances of goblin sharks attacking humans. Despite their fearsome appearance and unique jaw mechanism, they pose no threat. Their diet consists of deep-sea organisms; they do not naturally prey on humans. Given their limited interaction and sluggish nature, they pose no danger, making them more of a marine curiosity than a perceived threat.