Angel shark

More reminiscent of rays than of the typical torpedo shaped shark, the angel sharks are a group of 23 different bottom dwelling, flattened shark species that live in temperate to tropical waters. All of them are great at camouflage and can be difficult to spot. Consider yourself lucky if you ever get to scuba dive with one of them as many are critically endangered. The Pacific angel shark is commonly sighted amongst the kelp forests of Southern California, whereas another species congregates in large numbers off of the Canary Islands, making this one of the best region in the world to encounter them.

Whether you dive amongst them in the Pacific or Atlantic be sure to bring your camera as these animals are easy to get up close to. They are either ambush predators or suction eaters meaning that either way, they spend many hours a day just lying on the ocean floor. In fact, they are one of the most non-aggressive, docile species there is. If you wish to add these beautiful, unique animals to your list of shark encounters, explore the map below to see the best places around the world to dive with angel sharks.