Elusive, Unique Predators

Sawsharks are very unique looking sharks having a long saw-like snout edged with sharp teeth, making the 8 species easy to identify. These animals are found in many areas of the world, but their main distribution is in the warmer waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With a yellow-brown body covered in modest dark spots and blotches, they camouflage themselves easily along the bottom of the sandy ocean floor where they use the barbells on their snout to detect prey in the mud or sand. They then cripple their prey by side swiping them with their saw.

Because they typically live in deeper waters, there is not a lot of human interaction with them. If you are fortunate enough to encounter one of these fascinating looking predators count yourself lucky as they can be very illusive. If scuba diving with sawsharks is on your bucket list check out the map below for the best dive locations around the globe to see them.