The Orange Shark

# The Orange Shark

Last Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the online newspaper "Independent" published this story: "Fishermen and experts stunned after rare orange shark caught." During a sport fishing expedition near Tortuguero National Park, off the coast of Costa Rica (located in Central America, between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, bordering both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea), at a depth of 37 meters, a fisherman netted and caught an orange-colored shark. This is a species of shark known as a "nurse shark." For nurse sharks, they typically grow longer than 1.8 meters and are usually distinguished by their brown color. Researchers believe that this unusual orange beauty is caused by xanthism (also called xanthochroism)—a pigment disorder that produces excessive yellow or golden coloring on the skin of this fish species due to a lack of red pigment.

This condition is usually caused by genetic mutation, but other factors, including diet, can also affect pigmentation. Xanthism is considered extremely rare in the animal world, with confirmed cases limited to only a few species of fish, reptiles, and birds. The condition has created brilliant yellow color variations in freshwater fish, while bird species such as parrots and canaries have also been found with yellow plumage due to this condition. According to research from the Federal University of Rio Grande, this rare condition had never been detected in cartilaginous fish—a group that includes sharks, rays, and venomous rays—in the Caribbean region before. This orange-skinned shark also displays characteristics of albinism, including distinctive white-colored eyes.(1)

Nurse sharks typically have brown skin to help them blend in with the seafloor, protecting their survival. Therefore, having bright orange skin and white eyes would make them more easily detected and thus more vulnerable to predators in the wild. Additionally, the nurse shark possesses a special mouth-pumping mechanism that allows them to breathe without swimming, unlike most other shark species that must swim continuously to breathe. Although some researchers believe that animals with xanthism have lower survival rates, scientists believe that this case suggests that may not be true.

We give thanks to God for creating such an incredibly wondrous world, filled with every kind of sea creature, with all its colors and rarities, like this orange nurse shark with white eyes! Even more miraculous is that He has created us in His image, with a soul and understanding, wisdom, as King David recognized and praised God, saying, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:14). Each one of us has been created in a special way, each person for God's own purpose and intention. We may not fully understand God's plan, but He knows each of us intimately, as God said to the prophet Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:4-5). Thank God that He has prepared a good plan for each of us!

Furthermore, as God's beloved people, we walk uprightly and righteously according to God's way. Through a Christian lifestyle, unbelievers will see us as "different from them," because we do not do what they do; we "love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us" (Matthew 5:44), we do not "repay anyone evil for evil," but instead "try to do what is good in front of everyone," "work hard to live at peace with everyone," and do not seek revenge. "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink" (Romans 12:18-20). We do wonderful things different from unbelievers, because we no longer belong to the darkness of this world, "but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). We must always fear God and follow His teaching, must become "the light" radiating His love and glory forever. We must shine this light for the world to see the miraculous power that God has worked in our lives, as Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). This light shines into the world, drawing many people's attention to us as they seek God, just as the orange shark captured the world's attention and wonder with its striking orange color!

Thank God—the Almighty One who created the world and us in a fearful and wonderful way, and who always has good plans for each of us to serve Him! We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us rightly according to His will, and help us wholeheartedly live so that the light of the Gospel shines out to all those around us, so they may come to know that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that they may repent and return to believe in God! Amen!

Thank God for creating us, Good and wonderful, truly blessed, All things in this world, Nature revolves according to its season, The Kingdom of Heaven's glorious majesty, Only He is omnipresent, omniscient, forever and ever! With all heart, with all might obey His word, So that God's Name shines brightly through us!

(1) Steffie Banatvala, "Fishermen and experts stunned after rare orange shark caught", Wednesday 20 August 2025 10:12 EDT https://www.the-independent.com/bulletin/news/orange-shark-costa-rica-xanthism-b2811078.html https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/orange-nurse-shark-costa-rica-b2810844.html

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