At first it looked like a shadow – but after a few minutes, a rare species of deep-sea shark had swam past an underwater camera 54 times, exciting researchers.

The Miami Herald reported on the events in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. A group of scientists conducting the “first systematic survey” of deep-sea biodiversity in the region lowered their camera to a depth of about 3,500 feet. They baited it with sardines and waited for marine life to appear – and sure enough, the roughskin dogfish appeared shortly afterwards.

Several of the small sharks swam back and forth 54 times over several minutes as researchers captured high-quality footage of this normally “cryptic” predator.

In their report published in the Journal of Fish Biology, the team called the recording “the first-ever record of its kind” in the Cayman Islands and the central Caribbean. Not only does this help “add a new species locality dataset,” they wrote, but it also “expands our knowledge of the distribution of the rough-skinned spiny dogfish in the region.”

Considering that the roughskin dogfish is mostly seen as bycatch, accidentally caught and killed by fishing boats and deep-sea trawlers, this is a major achievement in better understanding the species. And, the team added in its paper, it emphasizes that video systems are a great way to “improve and expand our understanding of the biology and diversity of deep-sea sharks.”

Finding effective, non-invasive methods to document the existence of species like the rough-skinned dogfish is critical for scientists committed to conserving biodiversity and species knowledge. This is particularly important in conservation efforts; After all, a team can’t help a vulnerable population thrive if they don’t know where and how they live.

Similar research has helped repopulate critically endangered species such as eagles and ospreys, gray wolves, pygmy pigs and Siamese crocodiles.

Conserving biodiversity is crucial to ensuring ecosystems remain healthy and functioning. As the prestigious scientific group The Royal Society puts it: “Biodiversity is vital to the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems we depend on to provide us with the air we breathe and the food we eat.”

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