Video captured at 490 m depth off South Shetland Islands in January 2025 A Minderoo‑UWA Deep‑Sea Research Centre camera recorded a sleeper shark at 490 m (1,608 ft) where water temperature was 1.27 °C, providing the first visual evidence of a shark in the Southern Ocean’s deep, near‑freezing waters. The animal measured roughly three to four meters (10–13 ft) in length, far larger than expected for such latitudes. Researchers noted the camera operates only during the Southern Hemisphere summer, limiting observation windows[1][2].

Scientists confirm no previous Antarctic shark sightings Alan Jamieson, founding director of the centre, stated that no earlier records exist of sharks this far south, a view echoed by conservation biologist Peter Kyne of Charles Darwin University. Both outlets highlighted that this finding overturns the long‑standing rule of thumb that sharks are absent from Antarctic waters. The discovery is described as “quite significant” for marine biology and biogeography[1][2].

Shark lingered in the warmest mid‑water layer of a stratified column Researchers explained that the depth around 500 m contains the warmest water layer in a stratified column that extends to about 1,000 m, creating a niche that may support sharks feeding on carrion such as whale and squid remains. The animal’s presence at this depth suggests it was exploiting this relatively warmer habitat. Both reports emphasize the importance of this thermal layer for the shark’s temporary residence[1][2].

Climate change and limited data may drive range expansion Kyne suggested that warming oceans could push sharks farther south, while also acknowledging that sleeper sharks might have inhabited these waters undetected due to sparse monitoring. Camera coverage is limited to a small fraction of the seafloor and only during December‑February, leaving roughly 75 % of the year unobserved, which hampers systematic detection of hidden populations. The articles agree that future observations are needed to assess whether this sighting marks a broader shift[1][2].