Sharcano, Yes, Sharcanos Are Real

Sharks in ridiculous situations have been a thing for a long time. From B-list films, to Sharknado, to the ever-lovable Blahaj Ikea Shark. Now, we get the real deal holyfield: friggin sharks in a friggin (underwater) volcano. AJ Dellinger over at Mic has more.

The Kavachi Volcano, an underwater volcano located in the Pacific Ocean’s Solomon Islands, erupted on May 14, according to images captured by NASA’s extensive monitoring equipment. That’s not a huge surprise — Kavachi is one of the most active submarine volcanoes in the Pacific, according to the agency, and has been in an eruptive phase since October 2021. It was just a matter of time before it blew, and the resulting plume of water was visible from space, which is absolutely wild for its own reasons.

More wild, though, is the fact that there were apparently sharks living inside the Kavachi volcano. Two different species call the underwater heat mountain home — the result of significant adaptations that allow the big, toothy fish to survive the conditions surrounding the area. Their presence has been noted for a few years, where they’ve managed to make a home in a crater despite the presence of acidic water and sulfur. The sharks aren’t alone, either: Microbial communities that love the sulfur have taken up residence in the volcano, too.

MIC

The super interesting part of this revelation is the fact that NASA has satellite imagry to help confirm this. Hammerhead sharks are one of the identified species that call the underwater volcano home. Super crazy stuff to think about, but better than living in Dr. Evil's secret lair.