An American YouTuber believes he has filmed the world's first great white shark baby. But the experts are undecided about his observation.
The YouTuber Carlos Gauna,
also known as The Malibu Artist on
and
YouTube
, had already filmed the supposed baby shark on July 9, 2023 off the California coast near Santa Barbara. But only now, with the publication of the corresponding research report in the scientific journal
Environmental Biology of Fishes
, is Gauna receiving global attention.
Footage shows “most likely a newborn shark”
Under his
YouTube
video, Gauna writes: “I believe that the images in this video most likely show a newborn shark. Although it is almost impossible to determine the shark's exact age, there are some key observations that suggest it is a newborn." According to an
post by Gauna, the fish "could very well be the shark the youngest white shark ever recorded alive,” said @themalibuartist among the three photos that show the animal up close.
Scientists disagree: what speaks in favor of Gauna's assumption and what speaks against it
But as
BBC
and
t-online
report, the sensational find is still controversial. While some scientists identify the fish in the photo as the newborn of a great white shark, others are undecided. The reason for this is an observation Gauna
reported to
the BBC
. Accordingly, the fish was completely white, but its white layer seemed to be peeling off.
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Biologist and shark researcher Phillip Sternes from the University of California Riverside was also there on the day of the discovery. He also told the
BBC
that he suspected the animal could be a newborn great white shark. The main reason for this is the unusually round shape of the fins. This corresponds to a typical feature of shark embryos and newborn animals. The observed white layer is also common in newly born sharks. A grinning shark, on the other hand, enchants on
TikTok
.
Another researcher, James Worthington of the University of San Diego, helped size the shark - and came up with a length of about 1.5 meters, which is the usual size of a newborn great white shark. For comparison: According to the environmental organization
WWF
, the largest great white shark ever caught was
6.4 meters long and weighed 3.2 tons.
However, other marine biologists warn against hasty conclusions. Dr. Chris Lowe from the California State University Shark Laboratory told the
BBC
that there are other explanations for the white layer, such as the animal having a skin disease. More evidence is needed to reach a clear conclusion. To describe the recording location in Southern California as a nursery for great white sharks is therefore no more than a guess.