The Megalodon Shark

I am just inquiring as to whether or not people believe the Megalodon Shark, a massive shark that could range from 50-150 feet long and believed to be related to the Great White, still exists. I personally am kind of hoping it does. Only around 5% of the Ocean has been discovered and something that large would probably be out around the middle of the ocean as opposed to staying near the shore lines. I think this is a very interesting topic.

If I recall correctly, a couple years ago one washed ashore somewhere...bringing awareness to the previously thought extinct animal. Pictures of the shark showed that the animal did look somewhat prehistoric, in that it wasnt as streamlined as more common sharks of today. I would believe that they still exist, just for the mere fact that one did wash ashore a couple years ago. And as you stated, we are still in the infancy of sea exploration. I'm sure there are many creatures down there that we cant even imagine...but i would highly doubt the creature from the black lagoon is down there that was a joke! Are you interested in marine life/sharks?

the shark that you speak of is the Megamouth Shark. The Megamouth shark is a feeder shark, while the Megalodon shark is a shark that hunts on things probably similar to whales.

Originally posted by dno117
If I recall correctly, a couple years ago one washed ashore somewhere...bringing awareness to the previously thought extinct animal. Pictures of the shark showed that the animal did look somewhat prehistoric, in that it wasnt as streamlined as more common sharks of today. I would believe that they still exist, just for the mere fact that one did wash ashore a couple years ago. And as you stated, we are still in the infancy of sea exploration. I'm sure there are many creatures down there that we cant even imagine...but i would highly doubt the creature from the black lagoon is down there

that was a joke! Are you interested in marine life/sharks?

When?! people have been looking for this giant for a long time, are you sure your not talking about the megamouth shark? which actually feeds on plankton. Id like to see a link because had this occured it would make headlines.

the megalodon is thought to have died out 2 million years ago, unless you count the somewhat controversial teeth that have been dated at 10, 000 years old.
this shark would make a great white look like a gold fish and is thought to have hunted and killed whales. In fact megalodon teeth marks have been found in fossilised vertebrae.

Other than an occasional sighting of a gigantic shark (most can be explained as whale sharks) however one sigthing in 1918 near port stephens in which a shark of "unbelievable proportions" appeared and snagged crayfish pots and moorings.
(pots were 3 feet in diameter). Most of the men on the ship agreed the shark was 100 ft. long and some said 300 ft. (which is ludicrous even were it a megalodon) however these were expierenced fishermen so that kind of tells you whatever they saw was unusual.

Oh! there is also a polynesian legend of "lord of the deep" a 100 ft. long great white supposedly.....I never hear much on the "lord of the deep" just rumors from corners of the web.

[edit on 17-5-2006 by XphilesPhan]

This link here might interest you as to the evidence that exists of the Megalodons survival to present times.

[edit on 17-5-2006 by Xeros]

Can you imagine if Megalodons were around.

I can see Jaws swimming up to the boat and as he nudges it theres a splash and he disappears into the vast mouth of a megalodon.

Wouldn't want to come up on one in a tiny flimsy shark cage

I am in the Navy and I have heard sea stories from retired sailors about seeing something that fits the profile of the megaladon. I am definatly keeping my eyes open while I am at sea.

Originally posted by OutlawRider
I am in the Navy and I have heard sea stories from retired sailors about seeing something that fits the profile of the megaladon. I am definatly keeping my eyes open while I am at sea.

I am retired Navy. You do know the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story don't you? Well, a fairy tale starts: Once apon a time. A sea story starts: No S**t, this really happened.

Man, if that thing still existed, I'd order the entire Russian navy to wipe out all of them!!!lol. I definetley wouldn't want them around. I don't even want Great White and Tiger sharks around!!!

This site shows a set of megalodan shark teeth. Pretty big.

www.suite101.com...

It brings up the question if the are still living or not.

This is one of the most interesting things that I wonder about too, As said before, the ocean is so huge, there has got to be something out there, with all of the claimed sightings from sailors, surely not all of them can be fake or made up. I definately think there is stuff out there, & we discover new things everyday so I cant wait until they catch someting like this

This is a quote from a website (www.strangemag.com...) which I found pretty interesting. I know that this account has already been mentioned but here is the "story" in full:

In the year 1918 I recorded the sensation that had been caused among the "outside" crayfish men at Port Stephens, when, for several days, they refused to go to sea to their regular fishing grounds in the vicinity of Broughton Island. The men had been at work on the fishing grounds--which lie in deep water--when an immense shark of almost unbelievable proportions put in an appearance, lifting pot after pot containing many crayfishes, and taking, as the men said, "pots, mooring lines and all." These crayfish pots, it should be mentioned, were about 3 feet 6 inches in diameter and frequently contained from two to three dozen good-sized crayfish each weighing several pounds. The men were all unanimous that this shark was something the like of which they had never dreamed of. In company with the local Fisheries Inspector I questioned many of the men very closely and they all agreed as to the gigantic stature of the beast. But the lengths they gave were, on the whole, absurd. I mention them, however, as an indication of the state of mind which this unusual giant had thrown them into. And bear in mind that these were men who were used to the sea and all sorts of weather, and all sorts of sharks as well. One of the crew said the shark was "three hundred feet long at least"! Others said it was as long as the wharf on which we stood--about 115 feet! They affirmed that the water "boiled" over a large space when the fish swam past. They were all familiar with whales, which they had often seen passing at sea, but this was a vast shark. They had seen its terrible head which was "at least as long as the roof on the wharf shed at Nelson's Bay." Impossible, of course! But these were prosaic and rather stolid men, not given to 'fish stories' nor even to talking about their catches. Further, they knew that the person they were talking to (myself) had heard all the fish stories years before! One of the things that impressed me was that they all agreed as to the ghostly whitish color of the vast fish."

D.G. Stead, Sharks and Rays of Australian Seas, as quoted in Ellis and McCosker, Great White Shark, p. 43. According to Karl Shuker in "The Search for Monster Sharks," Fate Magazine, March 1991, Stead also claimed to have actually witnessed non-fossilized (presumably white!), five-inch-long teeth. If these teeth were truly not fossils, then it is obviously a shame that, apparently, we do not have them for study today.


I live in Cape Town and we have a shark in False Bay which has been nicknamed the "Submarine". She has been in False Bay for well over 50 years (my father was a fisherman and used to spot her quite often). She is HUGE. My father tells the story of when he and my uncle went out fishing in a row boat. While out near Seal Island they spotted a dark shadow under the water. The Submarine swam past their little boat right at the surface of the water and my Dad says that once he could no longer see the head, he turned and could not see the end of the tail which was still coming past the boat. Apparently my uncle, out of pure terror, rowed the boat to shore at such a speed that it looked like he had two outboard motors powering the boat! My uncle has not been in the sea since that day (nearly 40 years ago now)!

[edit on 19-5-2006 by LovingSoul]

Originally posted by Russian soldier
Man, if that thing still existed, I'd order the entire Russian navy to wipe out all of them!!!lol. I definetley wouldn't want them around. I don't even want Great White and Tiger sharks around!!!

Nevertheless they are around and you, or anyone alive(even the Russin Navy), can't say what should or shouldn't exist.

To get back on topic, the possibility of a shark existing from prehistoric times is not that ridiculous. Anyone heard of a coelacanth???

[edit on 19/5/06 by JackofBlades]

Not to be a downer here, as I was once a believer (check out the username

The oceans are pretty barren these days..not enough food to support stable populations of animals that size, it seems pretty unlikely.

Well, could be that there are giant sharks, but it's unlikely they're Megalos. More likely just modern sharks (carcarias or otherwise) expressing gigantism (and probably they would meet with only limited success, size can be a liability in lean times).

You lot are soooooooooo stoopid!!! They obviously feed on tube worms!!!


Only jokin.

But who knows how much food there is in the depths of the ocean, and I mean the DEPTHS! Maybe Megs survive on some other prehistoric, aquatic survivor.

Sorry Guys...My mistake. You are correct it was a megamouth shark that washed ashore, and NOT a megalodon. Too many bottles of amber colored liquid

Yes I do think the megalodon shark exists. Do we know that for sure? No. Do we know where it's located? No. But I have been looking on youtube for any information about the megalodon and the video called "My tribute to the megalodon shark"gives the best pictures. So any of you people who want to know more about the megalodon I strongly advise you to check that out! I myself am a believer of many things such as ghosts, life on the planets, and underwater monsters. But as far as stuying and finding pics I have never seen any monsters as feirce as this one. So for all of the people trying to find more about the megalodon shark keep looking because you might just be the one who finds it.

All I know is if Megaladon still exists and was roaming freely through the ocean today then that problem alone would make all other worldly problems seem miniscule to a potential 56-60 ft beast of a shark. I don't even know how you would successfully kill it.

Would love to see one...but does it exist anymore...highly doubtful...