Mysterious, Alien Sea Monster Caught by Teen in Mexico: Fact Check

Story: 

Mysterious, alien sea monster shark caught off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Other Versions

1. Alien sea monster caught by a teen.

2. Alien fish caught by teen off the coast of Mexico.

Fact Check:

According to certain stories doing rounds online along with couple of pictures, a teen caught a mysterious, Alien Sea monster like creature off the coast of Mexico. Although the pictures are real and the finding is fact, the creature is no alien; it’s a known but rare Albino Shark species.

The Finding of Alien-like Shark

According to Chicago Tribune website chicagotribune.com, 18-year-old Oak Brook resident Scott McLaughlin and his father went on a fishing trip in the Sea of Cortez near Cabo San Luca on 28 March 2016. When they were on the bottom of the Sea of Cortez, at about 370 feet down, they caught the unusual looking fish that was not known even to their fishing guide who had 25 years experience. They kept it out for about 10 minutes and released it back into water, thinking it might be endangered species. However, from the photos of the sea creature, a program director for the Pacific Shark Research Center of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, David Ebert identified the catch as an Albino or Leucistic Swell Shark.

Ebert explained Swell Sharks are common in the area where McLaughlin went fishing, but added he did not see one that was an albino or leucistic. Interestingly, the swell shark puffs itself up as part of its defense mechanism.

So, the creature in the pictures is not any alien or mysterious sea monster, it’s a rare albino Swell Shark. A teen in Mexico caught it and reportedly released it back into the sea.

Hoax or Fact:

Hoax.