The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rarely encountered deep-sea creature, sometimes referred to as a “living fossil” due to its ancient lineage. It has a distinctive appearance, with a long, flattened snout, highly protrusible jaws, and a pinkish coloration from visible blood vessels beneath its thin, translucent skin. Its elusive nature means much about its life remains a mystery to scientists.
The Goblin Shark’s Deep-Sea Habitat
Goblin sharks inhabit the bathyal and abyssal zones of the ocean, primarily found along continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts. They typically reside at depths ranging from 200 meters down to over 1,300 meters, though they have been sighted as deep as 2,000 meters. This environment is defined by perpetual darkness, immense hydrostatic pressure, and consistently cold temperatures, usually between 0°C and 4°C. These extreme conditions naturally limit the types and numbers of large predators capable of surviving and actively hunting in such depths. Unlike shallower waters, the deep sea is generally less populated by large, active predators due to the scarcity of food and the physiological challenges of the environment.
Known and Suspected Predators
Direct observations of predation on goblin sharks are extremely rare, largely because of their deep-sea habitat and the challenges of studying creatures in such an environment. This makes it difficult for scientists to definitively identify their natural predators. Despite the lack of direct evidence, large, deep-diving marine animals are considered theoretical candidates.
These potential predators include large deep-sea sharks, such as Greenland sharks or sleeper sharks, which are known to inhabit cold, deep waters and prey on various fish and marine mammals. Sperm whales, which routinely dive to depths of 2,000 feet or more to hunt, are also theoretically capable of preying on sharks. However, there is no concrete evidence to confirm these species actively hunt goblin sharks.
The primary threats to goblin sharks might instead come from scavenging after their death, rather than active predation, or from accidental bycatch in deep-sea fishing operations. Goblin sharks are sometimes caught unintentionally by deep-sea trawls, longlines, and gill nets. The scarcity of observed interactions means that much remains unknown about the natural predators of this unique deep-sea shark.