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

[{"selector":"#anim-f499120e-ffb8-41e6-82f6-c4a342cf1de2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-daa3d1c7-3355-4a9a-9316-92c065db2346","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-1ddeed84-350b-4276-9f01-53159afa3541","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf8c7ef4-c63b-4c72-8b69-e0856730cd8a","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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[{"selector":"#anim-8962bfc3-12af-4fc5-967e-aabd44909d51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34f48869-a31a-477a-b6ff-d0c587e345b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a11eddcd-8a81-4614-b8f9-10d5a4fc31ff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e1ff70d6-108d-4b71-b535-deedd2da9f50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9e99070-b8fe-46af-b37b-01928482bd22","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] UK Sharks Surge as Seas Hit Top 20 Fastest-Warming Globally - Karmactive Learn more