Pacific Sleeper Sharks Queue at 1,629m Depth in South China Sea

[{"selector":"#anim-a349273b-87f5-4a7b-b51e-c5c32d848240","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-70dbe46c-c244-48a5-a462-c2298a665db4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9d26df94-feb6-4bf8-9dd7-ecfd8816b682","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-484f4985-afbe-4a56-87b1-eae904858481","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Scientists dropped a cow carcass 1,629 meters into the South China Sea and captured something extraordinary: 8 massive Pacific sleeper sharks forming an orderly line to feed. Karmactive Staff

These massive predators, which can grow up to 7 meters long, have never been seen in the South China Sea before – extending their known range 1,200km further south than previously documented.

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Unlike the chaotic feeding frenzies we often associate with sharks, these deep-sea giants displayed surprising "queue-feeding" behavior – larger sharks took priority while others patiently waited their turn.

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What's the secret behind their unusual eye movements? Scientists observed the sharks retracting their eyes into their sockets while feeding – a clever adaptation since they lack the protective eyelid most sharks have.

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Every shark in the footage was female – suggesting this remote deep-sea region might serve as a critical nursery ground for these mysterious giants.

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While typically inhabiting the cold waters of the North Pacific, this discovery challenges what we know about where these sharks can live and thrive.

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"The highly aggressive behavior of sharks observed in the South China Sea suggests that this region still harbors abundant food sources in the deep sea," notes researcher Han Tian.

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The findings appeared in Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research on June 1, 2025, in a paper titled "Predating Behavior of the Pacific Sleeper Shark in the Deep Waters of South China Sea."

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As scientists continue exploring what sustains such large animals at these depths, what other secrets might be hiding in the darkness of our deep seas?

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