The discovery of a great white swimming in a quiet Australian lake has been described as “pretty bloody incredible” by a leading expert. Footage taken on the water's edge shows the apex predator's fin momentarily break the surface. Its profile is then clearly seen as it swims towards enamoured fishermen standing near a short pier.
, a shark scientist at told Yahoo News the species is “incredibly important” to marine ecosystems. Comparing it to a nearby boat he believes the great white is just two metres in length, making it a juvenile — they are around 1.5 metres at birth.
“Here we see a white shark in the early stages of its life in a coastal area. And to be able to see that by standing on the ground and looking down is an experience very few people will have,” he said. “People pay thousands of dollars to go see these animals from inside cages, and the chances of seeing them isn't guaranteed.
Yet here in coastal NSW looking in the water, and there's this beautiful juvenile white shark just peacefully cruising by.” Although , sightings on Australia's east coast are relatively rare, and the species is listed as vulnerable to extinction. Recreational and commercial fishing, along with are listed as The shark was filmed at Lake Conjola on the NSW South Coast, and footage was uploaded to social media on Tuesday.
The coastal region is just 300km from Port Stephens, one of only two known nursery sites for the species on the east coast of Australia — the other is.