Rare bright Orange shark discovered during fishing trip in Costa Rica

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Rare bright Orange shark discovered during fishing trip in Costa Rica

A rare bright Orange shark has been discovered during a fishing trip in Costa Rica.

The first-of-its-kind shark was found during a fishing trip in Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park in August 2024, according to a recently published science journal report.

The researchers photographed the beauty before swiftly releasing it.

The nurse shark, which is commonly found in Costa Rica’s coastal marine parks, was apparently born with xanthism, a genetic condition that results in the loss of darker pigmentation and makes lighter ones like oranges and yellows more prominent.

The orange wonder, which resembles an oversized, colorful koi fish more than a feared sea beast, is a double rarity as scientists noted it likely also has albinism, another genetic condition that dampens the body’s production of melanin and leaves many physical features stark white.

In the shark’s case, its eyes were a pasty white with “no visible irises,” scientists wrote.

Scientists also suggested environmental factors could have contributed to its vibrant hue, including inbreeding, stress, and hormonal imbalances.

The average nurse shark usually has light brown skin, which helps them blend in with their surroundings, and beady black eyes surrounded by a white cornea.