Mako shark filmed doing flips after being caught off Mangawhai, Northland

Tuesday, 31 January 2017

A mako shark demonstrated why it's a 'world-renowned jumper' to a group of fishermen over Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

The shark was caught on camera somersaulting metres out of the water several times after becoming snagged on a line. 

'It was an amazing couple of minutes,' said Andrew Baker, who filmed the footage. 

Baker and three others were fishing by the Hen and Chicken Islands, off the Northland town of Mangawhai, on Friday afternoon when they saw the 2.5 metre shark circling the boat. 

**READ MORE: 

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* Mako shark's flight of fancy**

'We'd already got about 18 snapper when the shark started swimming around, then it just hooked on one of the lines and took off.'

Baker said the shark thrashed free of the line within the first jump or two, but it continued to leap out of the water several more times.

'All of the other boats around us started cheering and whistling. It was quite a sight. Everyone on the boat was just buzzing after that.

'I have no idea what it was up to but I would have thought he was trying to get the line out of his mouth.'

Marine scientist and shark specialist Clinton Duffy said the behaviour displayed by the shark was typical of makos.

'They're world-renowned jumpers; there are reports of sharks six metres out of the water.

'It's why they're nicknamed blue dynamite.'

​Duffy said the species were abundant in New Zealand waters and found all over the world.

In coastal waters, they typically grow to about 1.8 metres long, but can reach a length of four metres.

Duffy said mako sharks liked to hunt fast-moving, open ocean fish such as marlin, tuna and swordfish. 

'They're very high energy fish and probably one of the most unpredictable fish out there.'