One of the world’s rarest shark species has been captured on an underwater camera as it swam through a Welsh bay.
The angel shark was caught by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales’ (WTSWW) underwater cameras in Cardigan Bay.
Angel sharks are critically endangered, having suffered “significant decline” as a result of fishing and habitat degradation.
The footage came as part of National Marine Week, which runs from July 26 to August 10.
The angel shark was captured on WTSWW’s Baited Underwater Remote Video Systems (BRUVS) which had been deployed by a research team investigating dolphin diets and marine diversity in Cardigan Bay.
Dr Sarah Perry, marine conservation and research manager at WTSWW, said: “We were thrilled to record an angel shark in Cardigan Bay, a rare and exciting encounter.
“Before this project started, angel sharks hadn’t been captured on film in Cardigan Bay since 2021.
“This sighting comes at a crucial time, as the Senedd and UK Government discuss a ban on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas.
“Our Dolphin Diet Detectives project, funded by the Welsh Government through the Nature Networks Fund, uses underwater cameras to reveal the incredible diversity of life on the seabed.
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“These findings highlight the urgent need to protect these fragile habitats from damaging activities like bottom trawling.”
The cameras were deployed in a range of habitats and left to record for just one hour at each location.
They have captured a huge range of wildlife both inside and outside of marine protected areas, including spider crabs, wrasse, and most recently, the angel shark.
The WTSWW say that even marine protected areas, of which there are 139 in Wales, are not yet fully protected from destructive fishing activities.
How have people reacted online?
Quick to comment on the news on social media, Facebook users shared their delight on Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre’s post.
One user wrote: “So wonderful to see.”
While another said: “What awesome footage!”
A third commented: “A dream sighting!!!!!”
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What is an angel shark?
Angel sharks are flat-bodied sharks which can grow up to 2.4m in length and are normally found submerged in sandy habitats in coastal waters.
They are well camouflaged to ambush flatfishes, crustaceans and molluscs.
Living on the seabed makes the sharks vulnerable to being caught in trawl nets, which along with their slow reproduction rate, puts them at a high risk of extinction.