A peculiar deep-sea ‘dragon’ shark has amazed bystanders by appearing on a tourist beach. The body of the pregnant Portuguese shark, typically found deep in the sea at 3,500m, weighed 40lbs (18kg) and measured an impressive 4ft 8in (1.45m) in length. This unusual discovery occurred on Luarca Beach, situated west of Gijón in north-western Spain.
Formerly abundant in the region for its meat and oil, the shark species, also known as a Portuguese dogfish, is now facing the risk of extinction due to overfishing. Its diet consists of fish, molluscs, and sea mammals, with occasional interactions with giant squid. However, the declining population and limited reproduction rates have led to a ban on catching them.
Designated as ‘Near Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, this shark species is under scrutiny for its survival. Luis Laria, the president of the Centre for Studies and Protection of Marine Species, conducted an autopsy on the shark to determine its cause of death and the reason for washing up on the beach.
Luis highlighted the remarkable abilities of the shark to endure extreme pressures at great depths of up to 3,500m. Despite the autopsy findings revealing gestation with developing embryos, weighing 5kg, and other internal observations, the exact cause of death remains unclear. Speculation suggests the shark might have been inadvertently hooked by a fishing crew, leading to fatal injuries.
Locals compared the shark’s appearance to characters from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, noting similarities to Toothless and Shadow. The community expressed astonishment at the creature’s unique features, drawing parallels to the fictional characters from the popular movie series.