Divers off the coast of Indonesia have reported the first-ever encounter with a live Sulawesi coelacanth. To protect this incredibly rare species, researchers are keeping the exact location secret.
The Sulawesi coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) was unseen in its natural habitat until October 2024. Researchers spotted a 1.1-meter-long coelacanth at a depth of around 144 meters in North Maluku province. The animal was observed in the open with its dorsal fin erect, potentially indicating an active state or defensive behavior.
Coelacanths are lobe-finned fish with fleshy, bone-filled fins, dating back 420 million years. To protect the vulnerable L. menadoensis from disturbance, the exact locality of this discovery has been withheld until further studies are conducted.