A guy sailing the Atlantic sparked fears that one of the ocean’s largest ever beasts could have made a return.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, TikTok user Alex Albrecht took to social media to share a video that will make many of us think twice about having a quick dip in the sea.
Posting the clip on TikTok under the handle ‘@.alex.albrecht’, Albrecht captioned the clip: “Sailed six weeks in the Atlantic saw this big f***ing shark”.
And he wasn’t lying – that is one BIG shark. Check out his video below:
After amassing more than 41 million views, other social media users quickly flooded the video’s comment section to speculate on what they thought the beast could be.
It’s safe to say, one particular answer was very popular among TikTokers:
Some social media users were convinced they were seeing a megalodon. Credit: TikTok
Now, the megalodon certainly would be a creature to fear. According to the Natural History Museum, these ocean-dwelling behemoths could grow up to 60 feet in length – which is roughly three times as long as the largest great white shark ever recorded.
But, before we get Jason Statham on the phone to tackle the “Meg”, it’s also worth noting that the megalodon went extinct around 3.6 million years ago.
A large fossil tooth from a Megalodon shark found in Venice, Florida. Credit: Daniel A. Leifheit / Getty
Yes, the shark in Alex’s video isn’t the prehistoric beast known as the “Meg”. Many reports and commenters believe the big fish to be a basking shark – the second-largest shark alive today after the whale shark.
Per Oceana.org, basking sharks pose little threat to humans, as they feed on tiny planktonic prey an have tiny teeth.
The beast in the video was most likely a basking shark. Credit: George Karbus Photography / Getty
However, despite the small size of their favorite food, these beasts can still reach intimidating lengths of 45 feet. They can also weigh up to 10,000lbs – so any fisherman would have a problem reeling one in.
These gentle giants can also live for up to fifty years and can be found in large groups of around 100 individuals. (Can you imagine going for a swim and coming across 100 of these leviathans?)
While the megalodon may remain extinct, with the oceans continuing to harbor awe-inspiring (and terrifying) creatures like the basking shark, it really goes to show that we are outmatched when it comes to the world’s waters.