A fisherman in Australia captured video footage recently showing a mako shark leaping multiple times and almost landing on top of an angler in a nearby boat.
The close call was captured by Ryan Cowley off the Queensland town of Yeppoon, and featured Wednesday by 7 News Australia.
The silent footage, showing leaps of perhaps 20 feet, reveals the remarkable athleticism possessed by mako sharks, which are the world’s fastest sharks and can reach top speeds of nearly 50 mph.
Few details are in the 7 News report, and Cowley did not respond to an inquiry by For The Win Outdoors. It remains unclear whether the shark was hooked by someone on his boat, but a person with a rod and reel pointed in the shark’s direction can be seen at the beginning and end of the video.
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Mako sharks will sometimes jump in this manner in an attempt to shake fishing hooks, but they’ve also been spotted free jumping for reasons that remain unclear.
In any case, it was fortunate for the shark and angler in the small boat that no contact was made.
