Rare deep-sea anglerfish seen for first time in broad daylight

In the world of deep-sea creatures, few are as elusive—or downright strange—as the abyssal humpback anglerfish. But last week, one of these rarely-seen predators made a surprise appearance near the surface off the coast of Tenerife—marking what could be the first-ever sighting of the species in broad daylight. And it’s been everywhere… literally on everyone’s social media feed.

The deep-sea visitor was spotted by underwater photographer David Jara Boguñá during a shark research expedition for the NGO Condrik. Typically found at depths of 200 to 2,000 metres, the anglerfish’s sudden appearance near the surface has baffled marine biologists.

“This could very well be the first time it has ever been filmed in these conditions,” said marine biologist Laia Valor, who was part of the expedition.

So, what was it doing there? One theory suggests El Niño weather patterns—which disrupt cold water upwellings—might be driving some deep-sea creatures higher up in the water column. But truthfully, no one knows for sure.

Sadly, the fish was in poor condition and only survived a few hours. Its body has been taken to the Museum of Nature and Archaeology in Tenerife for further study—offering scientists a rare chance to learn more about this mysterious species.

With its gaping mouth, rows of needle-like teeth, and a glowing bioluminescent lure dangling from its head, the humpback anglerfish is built to thrive in the darkness of the deep.

But seeing one in the light of day? That’s the kind of encounter marine biologists dream of.

Could this sighting hint at bigger changes happening beneath the surface? Only time—and more research—will tell. Click the link below to hear what Forrest and BTG, yes… THE BTG had to say about this.

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Whale spits out kayaker in incident captured on camera

It sounds like something out of a legend—but for one kayaker in Chilean Patagonia, it was all too real.

Adrián Simancas was paddling in Bahía El Águila near the Strait of Magellan when a humpback whale surfaced beneath him, briefly engulfing both him and his bright yellow kayak in its mouth before spitting him out—completely unharmed.

The incredible moment was caught on camera by his father, Dell, who was kayaking just metres away.

“Stay calm, stay calm,” Dell can be heard saying as his son resurfaced.

“I thought I was dead,” Adrián told reporters. “I thought it had eaten me.”

The whole encounter lasted only a few seconds, but the terror of being inside the whale’s mouth left Adrián shaken. Once back on the surface, his fear shifted to the icy water temperatures and the possibility of hypothermia.

Luckily, Adrián managed to reach his father’s kayak and both made it safely back to shore without injury.

Humpback whales aren’t known to intentionally attack humans—this was likely a case of accidental gulp-feeding, where the whale was scooping up fish and simply got too close.

While Adrián’s story ended with a close call, the waters of the Strait of Magellan pose serious risks—not just from the cold, but from rising incidents of whale collisions with cargo ships and strandings in the region.

A once-in-a-lifetime encounter—caught on film.

Want to know more? Click the button below to find out what we had to say about this!

Last week, you brostners and sistners got treated to TWO bonus pods in one week! In the first one, BTG IS BACK!!! In this episode, he talks to us about all the latest, why emus are hard to shoot, and the strangest foods we've consumed.

And in the second one, we discuss a whale eating a kayaker, the asteroid coming toward Earth, and the running of the bulls.

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In this episode, we discuss the Sombrero Island Ground Lizard makes a huge comeback, genetically engineered mosquitos, and how to spend $10,000 on Valentine's Day. Enjoy!