We all like to indulge in a good fish tale. Especially when that fish is a shark.

The legend of El Demonio Negro, the Black Demon, has persisted for as long as people entered the waters of the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, between the Baja Peninsula and the state of Sonora.

For those who tell the tale, the Black Demon is said to be a shark as long as a school bus, reaching lengths of 50 feet or more. Its skin is as black as midnight and piercing eyes that were somehow even darker. It overturns boats, attacks whales and swallows entire groups of sea lions in a single bite. Those who have seen it, describe a long, whip-like tail that can be seen churning waves at the surface.

Even though the legend of the Black Demon has been passed down for generations, there has never been a verifiable incident and no photographic evidence. No physical evidence has been found that would prove the creatures existence, although believers often point to the half-eaten carcasses of whales that sometimes wash ashore in the area.

In 2009, the TV series “Monster Quest” dispatched a film crew to the Sea of Cortez to investigate the claims from American sport fisherman Erick Mack, who was sailing off the coast of Baja in July of 2008, when he encountered an unidentified creature that met the legend’s description. Although the crew never found proof of its existence, the show aired on March 18, 2009 during an episode called “Mega Jaws.”





Unraveling the Mystery

One common origin for the myth is that the shark is actually a megalodon, a prehistoric predator that could grow to lengths of up to 60 feet. The biggest flaw with this explanation is that, despite its appearance in pop culture, the megalodon has been extinct for over 2.5 million years.

Another possible explanation is that the shark is actually a hypermelanistic great white that has been able to grow to its fullest adult potential. Hypermelanism is the overabundance of melanin — the opposite of albinism– which can cause animals to have darker skin than usual. This condition has been observed in some species of cat sharks and rays, so it may be possible that it could occur with great whites, which can reach over 20 feet.

Melanism might also be a factor for whale sharks, which normally have a very distinct skin pattern, being mistaken for the legendary predator. Whale sharks can reach lengths of over 40 feet and often can be seen creating massive waves with their tails at the surface of the water. Whale sharks, however, would not qualify as vicious predators as they are filter feeders which eat krill and other tiny fish and pose absolutely no threat to humans.

No matter what the explanation for the continued sightings, it is most likely a case of exaggeration, something that seafaring people have done for centuries. Whatever the case, the cryptozoic Black Demon is a wonderful fish tale that will likely be told for generations to come.