Critically Endangered 'Shark Ray' Spotted Swimming in Australian Waters

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A critically endangered bowmouth guitarfish, also known as a shark ray, was spotted swimming in the shallow waters of Fraser Island, Australia, video uploaded on January 18 shows.

Drone footage captured by Brett Horne shows the unique species swimming in clear waters, as a school of fish are seen trailing behind the creature.

“These things are wild looking and very prehistoric in nature,” Horne told Storyful of the sighting, adding that it was “great to see our waters hosting sanctuary to such an epic creature.”

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently lists the species as critically endangered. The IUCN reports that the main threats to this species are from “fishing & harvesting aquatic resources,” as the white fins of shark-like rays “are considered the best quality fins for human consumption and are among the highest valued in the international shark fin trade.”

Although the species is often mistaken as a type of shark, they are actually a type of ray. Credit: Brett Horne via Storyful

Video Transcript

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