The first-ever albino all-white shark was reeled in by a deep-sea fisherman, who did what he had to do before letting it go back in the wild … snap an awesome pic!!!
Jason Gillespie of England was fishing with some friends last week off Britain near the Isle of Wight when he caught the 3-foot tope shark … an entirely white one due to leucism, a condition where the skin loses all of its pigmentation.
Jason said … “I’ve been fishing for 30 years and I’ve never seen one like that.”
Though he says he normally would release a tope shark right away because they are a protected species, he knew this one was special … so he had to bring it on board for a few photos before releasing it back in the sea.
Jason says they released it quickly though, and it was fine.
He adds … “What’re the chances? I have no idea. It’s the fish of a lifetime, one in a million.”
Though it’s believed Jason’s the only person to get proof of catching an albino shark, he says he’s heard of another fisherman in Wales who caught one years ago … but much smaller.
Albino sharks generally struggled to survive because of their color. They don’t get the same camouflage while hunting. Apparently, this one has managed just fine so far.