Common Thresher Shark

Photo: Ed Corey · © all rights reserved

Thresher sharks use their elongated upper tail lobe to stun schooling fish and are occasionally observed circling the seamount during summer when mackerel and sardine schools are at peak abundance. They are a IUCN Vulnerable species making their Algarve presence a significant conservation signal for the health of this little-visited offshore site. Encounters are typically brief — a single pass at depth — but unforgettable.