In 2019, shark tagger Keith Poe was working off the coast of California when he hooked a surprisingly big "black mako" shark. The shark appeared larger and darker than shortfin makos (Isurus paucus), which are generally dark blue or gray with white undersides.
This sighting is the basis of the new Shark Week show "Black Mako of the Abyss," where a team sets out to find more of these black makos in an attempt to work out exactly what Poe caught six years ago. Suggestions for the creature’s unusual appearance and size include genetic mutations and the potential for shortfin makos hybridizing with another species.
