Goblin shark caught in Australian fishermen's nets.

A group of fishermen in Australia caught a goblin shark, one of the world's rarest shark species, dubbed a "living fossil".

A goblin shark has been spotted in Australia. Photo: Merimbula News Weekly

The shark was spotted by fishermen on January 29 while they were fishing off the coast of New South Wales, Australia.

"We pulled up the line and saw the fish caught in the net," said Lochlainn Kelly, the fisherman who pulled the net. He felt "more excited than scared" when he discovered the strange creature amidst the net full of fish and shrimp.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, this is a goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni). Goblin sharks are rare, living at depths of around 1,200 meters and are sometimes referred to as "living fossils." This particular specimen is approximately 2-3 years old and measures about 1.2 meters in length. A mature goblin shark can grow to a length of 3.8 meters.

The goblin shark has a distinctive and bizarre appearance with a longer, hooked snout resembling a bird's beak. In the deep sea, the shark's reddish-pink color turns black, allowing it to easily catch prey and avoid predators without being detected.

According to VnExpress