One of the world’s most endangered sharks has been spotted in Cardigan Bay.

Thanks to a new research project by the Wildlife Trust for South & West Wales (WTSWW), an underwater camera captured a critically endangered Angelshark in Cardigan Bay this summer.

It marks the first time an Angelshark has been seen on camera in the area since 2021.

The ethereal creatures are described as “bigger than a double bed and as flat as a pancake”, growing up to 2.4m long.

Loving to dwell at the bottom of seabeds, they lurk in hopes of catching crabs, flatfish and molluscs.

This leaves them vulnerable to being caught by trawl nets, which, combined with the species’ slow reproduction rate, leaves them at a uniquely high risk of extinction.

Dr Sarah Perry, Marine Conservation and Research Manager at WTSWW, said: “We were thrilled to record an Angelshark in Cardigan Bay, a rare and exciting encounter.

“This sighting comes at a crucial time, as the Senedd and UK Government discuss a ban on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas.

“Our Dolphin Diet Detectives project, funded by the Welsh Government through the Nature Networks Fund, uses underwater cameras to reveal the incredible diversity of life on the seabed.

“These findings highlight the urgent need to protect these fragile habitats from damaging activities like bottom trawling.”

For National Marine Week from 26 July to 10 August, the Wildlife Trust is calling the public to “stand up for our seabeds”.

Many of the 139 Marine Protected Areas in Wales are still not fully protected from destructive fishing activities such as trawling - the practice of dragging huge nets and chains along the ocean floor.

People can add their voices to the UK government consultation to ban trawling in protected areas here - https://action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/171084/action