You’d think the fastest fish in the ocean would be able to get away from an approaching shark but there was some unfortunate intervention this day for the fish. The video at the bottom of the page shows an epic scene captured by a couple of fishermen who had an unforgettable fishing experience.
What Is a Sailfish?
Sailfish are fish known for their incredible speed. The speeds you reach on the highway in your vehicle, sailfish can reach in the ocean — up to 70 miles per hour (MPH)! These fish thrive in tropical waters in the ocean and fall under the family of billfish. They have sharp, pointy bills and a large, sail-like dorsal fin that is so big, it may even be larger than the length of the whole fish itself. In the ocean, they are top predators and eat different types of prey, including squid, crustaceans, bony fishes, anchovies, and sardines.
How Do Mako Sharks Behave and What Makes Them So Interesting?
Shortfin mako sharks are predators, known for displaying aggression. They eat a variety of prey, including tuna and swordfish but they may also snack on other sharks and marine mammals. These sharks are solitary and migrate frequently. Shortfin make sharks can travel up to 31 MPH but may make it up to 46 MPH in short bursts. They’re able to travel incredibly long distances and display high intelligence. In fact, their brains are larger than other shark brains.
The mako shark is considered dangerous to humans because of its speed — it can attack aggressively and quickly. It has even been known to “jump” into fishing boats!
©wildestanimal/Shutterstock.com
Mako Shark Attacks Sailfish
When the video below starts, a man is explaining the events you’re about to witness. He was having a fabulous fishing day out with friends, having caught tons of fish. They had caught a sailfish and it was “dancing,” so they wanted to record the scene. Just then, they noticed something afoot. A giant shark comes up out of the water and slams into the sailfish. Just as he finished his story, the video cuts to the open blue waters of the ocean and within two seconds, you see the exact moment that the fisherman was talking about.
The men on the fishing boat exclaim in unison at the sight. The massive shark breaches, using its speed in the water, and does exactly what the fisherman described — slams with high velocity and force straight into the sailfish. It happens unbelievably fast, so the video offers a slow-motion replay. That’s when you can appreciate the size of both the sailfish and the mako shark. You can also clearly see how the mako shark manages to get the sailfish perfectly positioned in its mouth!
Watch the Exciting Footage Below!
The photo featured at the top of this post is © A Cotton Photo/Shutterstock.com
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