Show-Off! Thresher Shark's Welsh Acrobatics

Dolphin spotters on a sea tour got far more than they were expecting when a shark suddenly hurled itself out of the water.

The Thresher shark, which is a threatened species normally seen off Asia and North America, was snapped in its mid-air display by passenger Sarah Bebb off the Ceredigion coast, in Wales.

Sarah Perry, of the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre (CBMWC) , whose researchers were also on board, said sightings had been increasing in UK waters.

She said: "Thresher sharks are normally found in deep waters but can follow their prey closer to the shore so maybe that's what this one was doing.

"Perhaps either it or its prey were attracted by increasing sea temperatures.

"You can recognise Thresher sharks by their long tails, which they use to herd their prey into tight groups before feeding on them."

The sharks, which grow up to 20ft long, are unlikely to attack humans. Ms Perry said the opposite was the case.

"Recently one was seen for sale in a Cardiff fishmonger, so they're far more at risk from us," she said.