Watch a Mako Shark Leap to Eat a Sailfish, Then Come Back for More

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Written by Janet F. Murray

Updated: November 9, 2023

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Jumping Great White Shark.
© USO/Shutterstock.com

Mako sharks are large and dangerous predators in oceans worldwide. In this footage, we see a large mako shark hunting a sailfish. However, as the Mako shark zeroes in on the sailfish, you realize its target isn’t that easy to catch because the sailfish is fast and agile.

But despite being difficult to pin down, the mako shark continues its efforts, using its speed and strength to its advantage.

So, now, you can watch a mako shark leap to eat a sailfish, then come back for more, instead of just reading about it.

This video is sure to amaze and thrill viewers as it reveals a rare glimpse into the world of the Mako shark. Makos are phenomenal predators, and this video gives us a front-row seat to their hunting prowess.

Fastest Sea Animal: Sailfish

Sailfish are swift and agile, successfully hunting their prey in groups. But, sailfish also have predators, like the Mako shark in this story.

©A Cotton Photo/Shutterstock.com

It Starts With an Interview

In this YouTube video, you first see how the cameraman is interviewing a fisherman. He is enthusiastically recounting the exciting event that they just witnessed. He describes how the mako shark leaped out of the water and caught the sailfish mid-air. The other fishermen can be heard in the background, adding their agreement.

Then, the video cuts to footage of the event. We see the fisherman reeling in a sailfish with his line and hook. Suddenly, a mako shark launches out of the water and catches the sailfish in its mouth, despite its target still having the hook in its mouth. However, the fisherman still tries to reel in the Sailfish, but the mako shark thrashes about, trying to make the most of its catch.

Mako sharks — like sailfish — are known for their speed. However, they can also grow quite large. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) records the largest official mako shark that’s been caught at 1,221 pounds. Unofficially, even larger mako sharks have been caught.

The Longfin Mako shark is a very large species of shark that can grow to around 14 feet.

The Longfin Mako shark is a very large species of shark that can grow to around 14 feet.

©Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com

Failure Motivates Success

Then the video cuts back to the fisherman, who is now talking about how the mako shark came back for more. He describes how the shark breached the water’s surface a second time, trying to snatch the Sailfish away from him. However, the fisherman managed to hold on and reel in the fish.

Already half-mangled, the fisherman pulls the sailfish close to the boat. But that’s not the end of the shark’s interest. The fisherman’s presence does not deter this predator for a moment. Instead, it sidles up to the side of the boat, going after the fish again. The fisherman must pull the sailfish away from the side of the craft to keep the mako from getting it.

Where Do Mako Sharks Live?

A diver swimming with a Shortfin mako shark. These sharks are aggressive predators and should be avoided if possible.

These sharks are aggressive predators and should be avoided if possible. They live in warm and temperate oceans.

©wildestanimal/Shutterstock.com

The Mako shark, also known as the Isurus oxyrinchus, is a species of lamnid shark that is widely distributed throughout the world’s oceans. This shark is known for its speed, agility, and predatory instincts, making it one of the most formidable predators in the ocean. If you’re interested in learning more about Mako shark, you might be wondering where they live.

Mako sharks are found in warm and temperate waters around the world, from the equator to high latitudes. They are typically found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and are known to inhabit the waters off the coast of North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

In the Atlantic Ocean, Mako sharks are commonly found along the eastern coast of the United States, from Florida to New England, as well as off the coast of South Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found along the coast of California, and in the waters of Mexico, Peru, and Australia.

Furthermore, Mako sharks are widely distributed throughout the world’s oceans and are found in warm and temperate waters from the equator to high latitudes. They are commonly found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, and are known to inhabit the waters off the coast of North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Do Mako Sharks Normally Eat Sailfish?

Sailfish Jumping Out of Water

Sailfish are often consumed by larger fish, such as the Mako shark.

©lunamarina/Shutterstock.com

While this footage is exciting and rare, meals like this for a Mako shark are actually a fairly common occurrence. The natural habitats of sailfish and Mako sharks overlap in the western Atlantic Ocean. The two predators pursue much of the same prey in those waters, bony fish like mackerel and tuna.

However, the Mako shark is powerful and hungry enough to, sometimes, attack and consume larger sea creatures. This aquatic hunter has been known to take down sailfish, dolphins, sea turtles, and even other sharks.

Relentless Predation

Fastest Water Animals

Mako sharks are known for their speed, which adds to their predation.

©iStock.com/Alessandro De Maddalena

The shark continues with its relentless predation, tugging at the hooked sailfish, thrashing from side to side with the fish in its jaws. Next, the video switches to footage of the fishermen’s reactions to the event. They are excited and amazed by what they have just seen. One of the fishermen is heard saying it was the most amazing thing he has ever witnessed.

The same fisherman then takes the leftover pieces of sailfish and casts them back into the sea to see the shark’s reaction. The Mako shark does not disappoint. Again, it leaps out of the water to snatch the pieces of fish in its mouth.

The video ends with the fishermen laughing and talking about their fantastic experiences.


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About the Author

I'm a freelance writer with more than eight years of content creation experience. My content writing covers diverse genres, and I have a business degree. I am also the proud author of my memoir, My Sub-Lyme Life. This work details the effects of living with undiagnosed infections like rickettsia (like Lyme). By sharing this story, I wish to give others hope and courage in overcoming their life challenges. In my downtime, I value spending time with friends and family.

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