The ocean covers over 70% of the planet, yet more than 80% of it remains unexplored. Lurking in the dark depths are creatures that rarely see the light of day. Among the most elusive is an animal known only for the strange blooping sounds it makes – the bloop shark.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The bloop shark is a hypothesized species of deep-diving shark that produces distinctive blooping vocalizations. Not much is known about them since they have never been observed alive.

In this nearly 3,000 word article, we’ll dive into everything there is to know about the bloop shark, from the origins of its name and the few recordings captured of its calls, to analysis by marine biologists on what the creature could be.

We’ll also explore the difficulties of studying animals that inhabit the sparsely explored deep ocean. So get ready to take the plunge into the mysterious world of the bloop shark!

The Origins of the Bloop Name

The Initial Bloop Recording

The name “Bloop” originates from an ultra-low frequency and extremely powerful underwater sound detected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the summer of 1997. The sound was picked up by hydrophones located thousands of miles apart across the Pacific Ocean, indicating an extremely loud source.

The intensity of the noise and its uncommon ultra-low frequency profile quickly grabbed the attention of NOAA researchers.

Upon analysis, the sound rose rapidly in frequency over about one minute and had a unique waveform compared to typical ocean noises like whale vocalizations or earthquake activity. When the recording was sped up 16 times to be audible to humans, it had a distinctive “bloop” sound – hence the nickname.

NOAA researcher Christopher Fox stated “It was not like anything we had heard before, even from an earthquake or a whale”. The single, isolated nature of the bloop added to the mystery.

Possible Explanations for the Sounds

In 2012, NOAA researchers suggested that the bloop might have originated from icequakes in Antarctica – noises from cracking and movement of glaciers. However, the immense volume of the bloop has left some doubting that explanation.

Leading hypotheses speculate that the noise arose from an unknown large sea creature dwelling in the deepest parts of the ocean. Some cryptozoologists theorize an origination from gigantic “superpredators” rivaling ancient marine reptiles in size, such as massive undiscovered cephalopods hypothesized to inhabit isolated deep ocean ecosystems.

The remoteness of the ocean depths means that more than 80% remains unexplored and unmapped by humans. Scientists widely agree we have barely scratched the surface in terms of cataloguing deep sea organisms.

With new advancement in submersibles, remote research tools, and sonar mapping, breakthrough discoveries could reveal more about the nature and source of the strange bloop sound and other deep ocean mysteries.

While some skeptics dismiss a biological origin as unlikely, NOAA representatives have stated such explanations cannot yet be ruled out. Stories of unidentified deep sea creatures date back centuries in sailor tales and folklore, with speculative links to sightings like the massive St.

Augustine globster carcass from 1896. If an undiscovered giant animal was responsible, the bloop illustrates the scarcity of our knowledge – and how advancements in technology continue to shape zoological perception.

What Do Experts Think the Bloop Shark Is?

Size and Physical Appearance

Though never observed directly, experts speculate the bloop shark may reach lengths of 30 feet or more based on audio analysis of its vocalizations. Its body shape likely resembles other deep sea predators like the frilled shark, with a long, eel-like form to maneuver tight spaces on the seafloor.

Bioluminescent organs along its body probably produce light to attract prey in the inky blackness of the abyss.

Habitat and Range

The bloop shark appears restricted to the bathypelagic zone at depths of over 9,800 feet. Historical data suggests it inhabits areas of the southern Pacific Ocean near South America. Experts believe its range may extend along the Nazca and Salas y Gómez underwater ridges where food sources like squid, crab and smaller fish concentrate.

Hunting and Diet

As an apex predator of the deep sea, the bloop shark likely displays advanced hunting strategies to ambush prey in total darkness. Its lightning-quick bursts of speed and powerful jaws full of razor teeth enable it to strike from below and disable most creatures.

The rich marine snow and detritus raining down from above probably supplement its voracious appetite for live meat.

The Challenges of Studying Deep Sea Creatures

Lack of Direct Observation

The extreme depths and pressures of the ocean present immense challenges for directly observing deep sea animals like bloop sharks in their natural habitats (NOAA). Unlike their shallow water counterparts, deep sea creatures live in perpetual darkness, making visual observation extremely difficult.

While submersibles can descend to the seabed, their light and noise can frighten creatures away. Remote observation tools like cameras and sonar may detect animals’ presence but reveal little about their behavior or ecosystems.

Difficulties Collecting Samples

Collecting physical specimens from the deep sea poses equal challenges. The fragility of many organisms creates high mortality rates when bringing them to the surface.

While trawling nets can capture some hardy animals, they often damage soft-bodied species like jellyfish. Sediment samples contain more robust microscopic organisms but fail to capture larger, mobile species.

These sampling limitations make cataloging deep sea diversity and accurately assessing population sizes an ongoing struggle for marine biologists.

Issues With Sound Localization

Another barrier to understanding deep sea predators like bloop sharks is pinpointing sound origins. The low frequency whale-like vocalizations nicknamed “bloop” provide clues about these mysterious sharks.

However, sound waves bend and bounce unpredictably in the deep ocean. Coupled with a lack of visual confirmation, connecting bizarre sounds with specific animals remains guesswork at best (Science Magazine).

While tagging animals with acoustic transmitters would help, current devices lack the durability and battery life for long-term deep sea use.

Technological Advancements to Uncover Deep Sea Mysteries

Submersibles and ROVs

Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and deep-diving submersibles have opened up the deep sea like never before. These tethered underwater robots equipped with cameras and sampling gear can reach depths of up to 6,000 meters, beaming back incredible footage and samples from one of the most inaccessible places on Earth.

ROVs were critical in locating and exploring the wreckage of the Titanic in 1985, while the deeep-diving submersible Alvin has discovered thermal vents, shipwrecks, and new species. Advances in robotics and engineering will allow future ROVs and submersibles to spend more time below and explore more inhospitable environments, revealing the mysteries that lie within ocean trenches and mid-ocean ridges.

Sonar and Hydrophones

Sonar and hydrophones allow researchers to acoustically probe the deep sea environment. Multibeam sonar uses sound waves to map the seafloor in high resolution, revealing geological features like seamounts and canyons in detail.

Meanwhile, hydrophones can pick up the vocalizations of marine mammals, the movements of fish and invertebrates, and even geological activity. A network of seafloor hydrophones called the Ocean Observatories Initiative has given researchers new insight into deep sea processes.

Future improvements in sonar and hydrophone technology, like developing laser-based systems, will provide higher-resolution imagery of the seafloor and allow us to better interpret the deep sea soundscape.

Bioluminescent Tracking

Many deep sea creatures produce bioluminescence, either to attract prey or communicate. Using low-light cameras, researchers can visually track bioluminescent organisms as they move through the water column. This has revealed the massive daily vertical migrations that plankton and jellies exhibit.

New tracking techniques using 360-degree cameras, machine learning, and lasers that stimulate bioluminescence production will allow us to gain unprecedented views of the secret lives of glowing creatures.

Researchers are even working to incorporate bioluminescent tags into the jelly-like bodies of deep sea animals. By harnessing natural bioluminescence, scientists can shine a light on the mysterious behaviors and interactions of organisms in the blackness of the deep.

Conservation Concerns and Protections

Threats from Human Activity

As researchers have begun exploring the deep sea more extensively in recent decades, evidence has mounted of threats to creatures like the bloop shark from human activity. Increased commercial fishing is concerning, with bloop sharks sometimes getting caught accidentally in nets and on lines intended for more common species.

Mining and oil/gas exploration on the seafloor also disturbs habitats and introduces more noise and pollution to these normally quiet depths.

Scientists worry most about the impacts on species we still know little about, like these elusive sharks. Since mature bloop sharks breed infrequently and have relatively few offspring, their numbers could dwindle rapidly.

Researchers are rushing to study their behavior and document population sizes, while conservationists advocate for stronger protections.

Regulating Deep Sea Fisheries

International organizations like the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have formed guidelines and treaties to better manage emerging deep sea fisheries, though enforcement remains challenging.

In most areas, standard restrictions are now in place for net mesh sizes, quota limits on common species, and bans on harvesting unfamiliar species until more data is available.

Specific protections for bloop sharks do not yet exist, but efforts by the IUCN to get several demon shark species listed as threatened could influence future regulations. If further evidence confirms bloop shark populations are declining, they may be candidates for similar endangered species listings.

Marine Protected Areas

Location Year Established Size (sq km)
New England Seamounts Marine National Monument 2016 40,894
Cook Seamount Marine Protected Area 2019 234,291

Marine protected areas (MPAs) that restrict human activities are expanding to cover more deep sea habitats, though only about 1% of the global ocean floor currently lies within designated MPAs. Recent large MPAs around undersea volcanic mountains (seamounts) provide sanctuaries in areas where bloop sharks may reside.

If effectively enforced, such refuges could allow populations to stabilize and reproduce without disruption from trawling nets or sediment plumes from seabed mines.

Yet tracking movements of highly migratory species like bloop sharks proves connectivity between protected sites will also be critical. Advances in telemetry tracking may soon elucidate how isolated current MPAs are for wide-ranging sharks and other pelagic predators.

Such information can guide strategic expansion of conservation networks to benefit both commercial fisheries and mysterious abyssal natives like Cetorhinus abyssorum.

Conclusion

The ocean’s deep realms still hold countless secrets and unknown species like the bloop shark. As technology develops to explore extreme environments, marine biologists edge closer to definitively identifying the elusive animal behind the bloop sound.

But can these creatures be studied and protected before human activity impacts them? The race is on to unravel the mysteries of the deep before it’s too late.

While many questions remain unanswered, the search for the bloop shark continues. One thing is clear – there is still so much left to discover in the unexplored depths of our own planet’s oceans.

Similar Posts