Goblin Shark - Specific Occurrences

Specific Occurrences

The first goblin shark discovered was caught by a Japanese fisherman in the Kuroshio Current off the coast of Yokohama, Japan in 1897. This specimen was later identified as a 3.5-ft male shark.

In 1985, a goblin shark was discovered in waters off eastern Australia. Several specimens have been caught in the vicinity of New South Wales and Tasmania and are preserved at the Australian Museum. A four-meter long specimen was caught in waters off Tasmania in 2004. The shark was taken to the national fish collection in Hobart. In nearby New Zealand, a goblin shark was also caught in 1988.

In 2003, more than a hundred goblin sharks were caught off the northwest coast of Taiwan, an area in which they have previously not been found. Reportedly, the sharks were caught a short time after an earthquake occurred in the area.

A goblin shark was kept by the Tokai University of Japan; the specimen died after a week.

On January 25, 2007 a 1.3 m long goblin shark was caught alive in Tokyo Bay, in waters 150 to 200 m (500 to 650 ft) deep. It was taken to the Tokyo Sea Life Park to be displayed in an aquarium, but died two days later on January 27.

Later the same year in April, several goblin sharks were seen swimming in shallow waters in the Japanese Sea. A live one was caught near Tokyo Bay. It is the first time goblin sharks have been seen swimming in shallow waters.

In August 2008, a live Goblin Shark was filmed in the wild in Japan by NHK (a short clip was broadcast as part of NHK Tokushuu on 31 August). During the shooting, the small (1.3 meter) goblin shark was shown biting into the wetsuit of a human diver's forearm - however, this scene was staged in order to demonstrate the shark's jaw movements, and goblin sharks basically present no threat to human divers under normal circumstances.