Angelshark

How it lives

The angelshark lies still under a thin layer of sand or mud during the day, with only its eyes and dorsal fins showing. It swims strongly at night. Females give birth about every two years after a pregnancy of about 8 to 10 months. Litters are small, and one study reports fewer than 20 pups. It lives on soft seabeds, often in shallow water at depths near 40 m, and females tend to return to the same area.

Where it goes

Angelsharks make seasonal moves between the north and south and between inshore and offshore waters. Females in particular tend to stay faithful to the same area.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

The angelshark has disappeared from about 90 percent of its historical range, mostly because of fishing and the loss of coastal habitat. IUCN has listed it as Critically Endangered since 2006. It is gone from most of its northern range. Groups still persist around the Canary Islands, in North Africa and in Corsica, one of the last Mediterranean refuges, where one study estimated an effective population of about 290 animals (range 209 to 453). The sources I opened did not give a count for Libya. It is listed under CMS Appendices I and II and protected by regional fishing bans. This card covers the common angelshark. Other angelshark species also live in the Mediterranean and are not covered here.