Science is Fun Fridays!


 

Malpelo Island is a barren rock about 300 miles off the coast of Colombia.  In the ocean, three currents come together, creating upwellings of nutrient-rich waters, attracting a large number of sharks.

More than 75 different species.

Among them is what some locals came to call the Monster Shark.  Divers were able to go down the shelf enough to approach one up close in order to attach a recording device.  Once they obtained the data, they were able to confirm it's a Smalltooth Sandtiger shark.


They prefer the cool, deep waters in temperatures from 43-68 degrees.  Females can grow as much as 11 feet, but some reports suggested the ones around Malpelo are closer to 20 feet.

While populations in Australia and the Mediterranean are declining, these Colombian waters are protected as a marine sanctuary.

In 2006, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


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