A group of tuna hunters spotted this magnificent salmon shark about 120 km off the coast of Tofino earlier this week.
Former NHL player and Vancouver Canuck Willie Mitchell went tuna fishing with a group of people when they suddenly saw a shark fin in the water.
At first sight, they mistook the beast for a great white shark, but on taking a closer look, Mitchell was able to identify it as an eight-to-nine-foot salmon shark.
Easily mistaken for its more infamous counterpart, the salmon shark is more timid and prefers snacking on Pacific salmon over anything else.
Although experts have warned that climate change can bring more dangerous sharks like the great white to B.C. waters, the rare glimpse of a peaceful salmon shark is no cause for concern, and should be celebrated as a sign of a healthy ocean ecosystem.
