Life exists where it shouldn't: Sharks found inside active submarine volcano

Hot, acidic waters isn't exactly the most favourable habitat for any organism to reside in. 

But footage from National Geographic's deep-sea Drop Cam captured two species of sharks swimming freely in the acidified ocean waters of an active volcano's crater.

Kavachi is south-west Pacific Ocean's most active submarine volcano located south of Vangunu Island in the Solomon Islands.

It most recently erupted underwater in January 2014, and has had more than 11 significant eruptions since 1970. 

Two eruptions in 1976 and 1991 were so powerful that new islands were formed, according to Daily Mail.

Brennan Phillips, the ocean engineer who led the expedition team to Kavachi, revealed that although it is unclear how often Kavachi erupts, the volcano is observed to be "actively spewing hot lava, ash and steam up into the air".

“Divers who have gotten close to the outer edge of the volcano have had to back away because of how hot it is or because they were getting mild skin burns from the acid water," he said.

The mission to Kavachi was to map the geology of Kavachi and study its chemical plumes and biology, according to Nat Geo.

As their Drop Cam descends through the ash plume into the crater, the vile water dramatically changes in colour.

But mother nature had something else prepared for them.

Despite the treacherous conditions surrounding the waters of the volcano, marine life was observed at a depth of 45 metres where the Drop Cam landed in the crater.

As the team reviewed the footage collected later on, a sixgill stingray made its first appearance.

Then followed a scalloped hammerhead shark.

And a silky shark showed up too.

Discovering the marine creatures was delightful but puzzling. 

Phillips expressed that their presence conflicts with our knowledge of Kavachi, which is an active volcano. 

"When it's erupting, there's no way anything could live in there," he added.

"Large sea animals like these could potentially die any moment."

Well, it seems like the team left the expedition with more questions than before.

Might the sharks know when the volcano is going to erupt? How do they survive in there?

While we ponder about the answers to these questions, let's hope that a Sharknado doesn't happen if Kavachi erupts in the future.

ongymm@sph.com.sg

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.