Photograph caption dated February 2, 1985 reads, "Rare megamouth shark is hoisted by crane to permanent exhibit area inside the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History yesterday. The 14 1/2 foot shark, weighing about one ton, was captured by commercial fishermen off the coast of Catalina Island in November and it's been on ice since then. The megamouth is a plankton feeder, distinguishable from other sharks because of its huge mouth, hence the name. The only other shark of this kind ever sighted was caught off Hawaii in 1976. 'You always hate to kill an animal, but this finding is so important to science.' Jeff Siegel, a collection manager for the museum's section of fishes, said at the time of its capture, 'a find like this happens maybe once or twice in a century.'"
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;29 x 36 cm. Photographic prints
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Sharks--California--Los Angeles Megamouth shark--California--Los Angeles Museums--California--Los Angeles Natural history museums--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Herald-Examiner photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
