The rare megamouth shark :
(AP Photo/World Wildlife Fund - Philippines, Elson Aca, HO)
Fisherman in the Philippines accidentally caught a huge megamouth shark in their fishing nets the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday. According to the World Wildlife Fund, the megamouth is an extremely rare fish with only 40 fish being accounted for worldwide. This megamouth measured in at 13 feet and 1,100 pounds.
Despite its massive size, a megamouth is relatively harmless to humans. If you were ever to encounter one in open water, you needn’t worry. Since megamouths are filter-feeding fish, similar to the endangered whale shark, they feed by straining food particles from the water, which means most of their food source is so small we’d have to strain our eyes in order to see it.
The megamouth was taken to Sorsogen province, where it was butchered and eaten. Considered a delicacy in many parts of Asia, shark meat is in high demand. While sharks instill fear in humans, in fact it is the sharks that are more at risk. With the increasing demand of shark meat and shark fins, which are used for shark fin soup, as well as overfishing, sharks are more and more at risk of extinction.
Shark tourism is becoming ever popular. Although clouded in controversy, people are itching for the chance to cage dive with these animals. But playing with Mother Nature does have its risks. There are critics of shark tourism who believe that shark attacks are on the rise on account of all the chum tour operators use to attract the sharks. Sharks do not consider humans a viable food source; however with murky waters it is possible that they can confuse a surfboard with prey. Despite my fascination with these incredible animals, I’ll wait for the next Shark Week on Discovery to get a closer look.
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