A shark broke a world record after swimming 17,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.
A shark swam a record-breaking 17,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean
The silky shark, nicknamed Genie, was first spotted near the Galapagos Marine Reserve in July 2021 and its epic 546-day journey was tracked by the Charles Darwin Foundation.
Genie's journey is the equivalent of crossing the United States from coast to coast approximately four times and was six times as long as the former shark movement record.
Dr. Pelayo Salinas de Leon, lead author of the study at the Charles Darwin Foundation, said: "Sharks have been roaming the world's oceans for hundreds of millions of years and the map boundaries we humans have established on paper mean nothing to them.
"Their long migrations through heavily fished international waters expose them to significant risks, highlighting the need for a coordinated global response to ensure the survival of this highly threatened group of species."