A “zombie” shark encounter has been documented by a filmmaker, who captured the spine-chilling moment when a great white shark swam just inches away from Euan Rannachan, who was safely positioned in an underwater cage. The recorded footage depicts the apex predator circling the cage before attacking some bait and thrashing in the water. After devouring the bait, the shark opens its mouth to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth, while its eyes are shut, imparting an eerie and seemingly lifeless appearance, which led one viewer to compare the shark to a “zombie”.
“I have loved sharks ever since I was a little boy, but I did not dive with white sharks till 2016,” the man said. “After doing it one time I became hooked and started a company taking people out to Guadalupe Island to see these magnificent creatures.”
Recorded from inside a shark cage, a chilling video begins with a large great white shark swimming towards a block of chum tethered to the boat. However, the scene takes a horrifying turn when the super predator’s eyes roll back as it takes the bait. In a slow-motion shot, the predator is captured in detail, revealing its “great whites” eyes as it chomps down, appearing just inches away from the camera. Despite resembling a scene from a George Romero film, the spooky display is a regular defense mechanism that shields the shark’s eyes while feeding.
“They close their eyes because sometimes dinner fights back,” the 36-year-old explained. “So the white shark deploys a sort of shield, if you will, over their eyes when they go into attack mode, just to make sure their eyes will be fine and survive the battle.”
However, the terrifying appearance of the shark shocked its audience on YouTube. “100 per cent zombie shark right there,” one person wrote. while another added: “That’s a great white shark. This is scary!”
