Surprising new shark species in NW waters: Theyre not supposed to be here [Video]

There’s a new pair of apex predators in Puget Sound.

Two species of shark, one of which is critically endangered in some places, have been found in South Puget Sound, sparking a bit of mystery surrounding the region’s marine habitat, scientists with Oregon State University said.

What brought them to these waters? Have some of them been here all along? Could climate change be a factor?

Everything started with a single social media post.

Sharks already live in Puget Sound (and shark attacks are exceptionally rare), said Jessica Schulte and Ethan Personius, scientists with Oregon State. Spiny dogfish and sixgill sharks are well documented throughout the waters. The latter are heavily protected by state officials and cannot be harvested.

So, several years ago, when one man in South Puget Sound posted a photograph of himself holding a shark appearing to be a sixgill, officials investigated, Schulte said. As it so happened, though, the man was not holding a …