Rare Megamouth Shark Discovered on South Africa's West Coast
By Editor • August 24, 2026 • 1 min read
An extraordinary marine find has surfaced in St Helena Bay, where a rare megamouth shark was discovered washed ashore on Saturday, August 22. The shark, identified as Megachasma pelagios, is a deep-sea species seldom seen by humans.
The carcass was first spotted near the Pioneer Fishing fish factory after the shark had been swimming in the harbor for a brief period. Environmental activist Ettienne Swanepoel from the Sandveld Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre alerted the local community to this unusual event.
Researchers from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Sarika Singh and Steven McCue, arrived from Cape Town to study the specimen. They collected samples to analyze potential causes of the shark's death. This particular discovery is significant as it marks only the second recorded megamouth shark in South African waters. Since its identification in 1976, only around 300 of these creatures have been observed globally.
Once the examination is concluded, the carcass will be buried, but the insights gained from it could enhance understanding of this elusive species.
Source: www.getaway.co.za
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