A British diver was left in awe after encountering a super rare megamouth shark, describing the experience as surreal. Bee Smith, a UK native, was diving off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan, when on June 7 she encountered the elusive and prehistoric-looking creature. Megamouth sharks are an incredibly rare species, with only 273 recorded sightings to date.
They typically reside in deep waters during daylight hours and ascend to shallower depths at night in pursuit of plankton. The 23 year old content creator captured the encounter on video and shared it on TikTok, where it has already amassed over 10,600 views. Speaking to What's The Jam, Bee recounted her amazement: "She was a very big female," and admitted, "For the very first moment, I couldn't believe it was real.
", reports the Mirror . Despite having seen a preserved megamouth before, nothing could have prepared her for the live sighting: "They are the most beautiful, crazy-looking, giant shark." It wasn't until the encounter ended that Bee fully processed the event, feeling ecstatic upon returning to the boat.
Unfazed by swimming alongside the massive shark, Bee explained: "It is a harmless, filter-feeding shark." She described the megamouth as tranquil and aware of her and her team's presence, adding, "Making eye contact with the megamouths is something I will never forget." Bee was particularly struck by their eyes: "They have beautiful, large, brown eyes, that kind of look like a doll's.
" She concluded by noting that on.