A Prehistoric Predator
The bluntnose sixgill is a huge-bodied, big-headed shark with 6 gill slits placed on each side of its head. The Titanoboa is an ambush predator, and it ate massive animals that swam in the waters. It feeds mostly on bony fish, cartilaginous fish and marine mammal, including seals and dolphins.
A Deep-Sea Dweller
The bluntnose sixgill shark is a deep-sea organism, living mainly in the continental and upper slopes of oceans around the world. Living at depths of up to 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) it can resist high pressure and low temperatures.
A Threatened Species
The bluntnose sixgill shark, Chavrilin says in the paper, may appear menacing; but it is threatened by overfishing and fishery related mortality. As well as destroying their habitat, bottom trawling can also target these fish directly. However, pollution and climate change are two additional pressures that exert their effects on the populations.
Conservation Efforts
Several conservation measures are being enforced to conserve the bluntnose sixgill shark and other marine species:
Improve Stewardship: Enforcing Marine Protected Areas to protect critical habitats from human interference.
Sustainable Fishing Methods: Robustly enforce sustainable methods of fishing (like the introduction of selective gear and reduced quotas) aimed at minimizing bycatch, preserving marine ecosystems etc.
Restoration of habitat: Attempting to restore functional habitats and seascapes that provide essential shelter or foraging assistance species owned (such as with degraded Seagrass beds, coral reefs etc.)
Public Awareness: To spread knowledge to the public on various issues concerning marine conservation and vulnerabilities of the species.