Angel sharks specialize at being ambush predators, relatively better than most shark species. The shark has evolved an excellent camouflage.
The characteristically flat body of the angel shark allows it to bury itself in the ground with only its eyes visible. That ability is called buccal pumping, the ability to pump water over their gills, means that angel sharks can remain stationary and undetected for a long time, unlike many shark species.
Angel sharks are the most threatened shark family. In the last century, their range has decreased by more than 80%. In only six years, from 2000 to 2006, angel sharks have gone from being listed as Vulnerable to Critically Endangered.
Overfishing is the biggest threat to angel sharks, as it is with most shark species. Angel sharks are bottom dwellers, so bottom trawlers are particularly destructive. Habitat degradation is also a significant threat to angel shark species.
Angel shark range includes coastal waters from 16-500 feet deep in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. These areas suffer from climate-driven habitat degradation.
In 2009, three species of angel shark became protected by the European Council Regulation. It is illegal to target, retain, tranship, or land these species in European Union waters. In 2016, two angel shark conservation workshops determined key actions necessary to overcome significant threats to angel shark populations. The workshops developed two key documents, a regional action plan for the Mediterranean and an angel shark sightings map. In 2019, the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition declared full protection for angel shark populations in the Canary Islands. There is still hope for the angel shark.
More information about angel shark conservation efforts can be found at https://angelsharknetwork.com/