Images of 'secretive' shark captured in Alderney

The nursehound shark was filmed by volunteers in September

Volunteers in Alderney have captured pictures of a "secretive" shark.

The 1m (3ft) long nursehound shark was spotted by an underwater camera trap placed on the seabed near the islet of Burhou, Alderney Wildlife Trust said.

It said the footage showed the "value of citizen science" in the island, where much of its work was done by volunteers.

The 1m (3ft) fish was filmed after volunteers placed a baited trap on the seabed near Burhou

Nursehound sharks, a species of catshark, can grow up to 1.6m (5ft) in length and weigh about 10kg (22lbs).

It is a nocturnal predator which primarily hunts along the seafloor for squid, crabs, fish and other smaller shark species.

Roland Gauvin, from Alderney Wildlife Trust, said it was "brilliant" to capture the images of the shark.

He explained the "impressive" sharks had been declining in the islands waters for about 10 to 15 years and it was not known how many live there.

"We don't know how rare they are," Mr Gauvin said.

"The [conservation status] is poorly mapped, they are quite a secretive species," he added.

The species is listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.