Melbourne, Australia — The discovery of a sluggish sleeper shark cruising over a barren seabed in Antarctica has sent shockwaves through the marine research community. Initially thought to be absent from frigid waters, this sighting is shattering preconceived notions and challenging traditional understanding.
Experts had long dismissed the likelihood of sharks existing in Antarctica’s treacherous, icy environs. Yet, a video camera positioned off South Shetland Islands near the Antarctic Peninsula captured an unexpected glimpse—a shark measuring between 10 to 13 feet—daring to surface at depths of over 1,600 feet where water temperatures hover around freezing.
“Going down without expecting to see sharks was a pivotal part of our expedition,” researcher Alan Jamieson remarked. “These sharks are giants. They’re like tanks,” he added wryly, underscoring the size and robustness of the creature filmed in January 2025.
The camera was operated by the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre, dedicated to investigating life in Earth’s deepest oceans. Its placement off Antarctica’s southernmost reaches—well within the Antarctic Ocean boundary, defined as below 60 degrees south latitude—captured an image that would be a revelation even for seasoned marine biologists.
This was no mere fluke; the camera caught a skate, another relative of sharks resembling a stingray and already known to inhabit these waters. Yet, what the team stumbled upon was far more intriguing: a shark species uncharted in Antarctica’s depths. Jamieson noted that finding such a specimen required both impeccable timing and equipment.
The researcher explained that he couldn’t locate any documented evidence of another shark inhabiting the Antarctic Ocean previously. “This is a significant finding,” Jamieson posited, “one we can’t ignore.”
Charles Darwin University’s conservation biologist Peter Kyne echoed these sentiments, emphasizing how climate change might be prompting sharks to venture into the region’s colder waters. However, given Antarctica’s remote location and sparse data collection efforts, such movements are challenging to verify.
The sleeper shark population in this particular area likely remains modest and elusive to human detection. The footage captured a specimen residing at around 1,640 feet along a seabed that slopes into deeper layers of stratified waters. This depth provides the ideal environment for these slow-moving creatures, which often feed on marine life like whales or giant squid that sink to the ocean floor.
Despite this new discovery, it’s worth noting there are limited research cameras positioned at such depths in Antarctic waters. These instruments operate only during Southern Hemisphere summers from December through February, leaving much of the year unexplored by human eyes.
Jamieson predicted other sleeper shark species might also exist near Antarctica’s cold ocean floors, feasting on sinking marine life. “This is a great example of why continuous research and monitoring are crucial,” he concluded.
Such findings underscore humanity’s ongoing quest to understand our planet’s diverse ecosystems and the incredible adaptations living creatures make in response to changing environments. The video captured off South Shetland Islands has been made available by the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre, opening a window into Antarctica’s enigmatic underwater world.