The New Guinea river shark (Glyphis Garricki) also known as the Northern river shark is one of the rarest species of sharks in the world.
Known territory from this species includes a small number of locations in West Australia, the Northern Territory, and Papua New Guinea. Their size ranges from 8-10 feet. Interestingly, these sharks have unusually small eyes, instead, this species has a large concentration of ampullae of Lorenzini, which allows them to find electric fields of other organisms in turbid waters.
Only 36 specimens have since been recorded in Australia since its discovery there in 1986. Despite its name, the New Guinea river shark is mostly found in highly turbid estuaries and seas. Usually, only the newborns and small juveniles are found in rivers.
The biggest threat to these species is habitat degradation. They are typically found close to the shore and vulnerable to urban development. Threats include damming, mining, and water programs.
The federal government of Australia is currently developing a multi-species recovery plan, along with complete protection for this species and increasing public awareness.
Two New Guinea river sharks were caught in Papua New Guinea near a village called Katatai in November 2014. They are the first of there species to be seen since the 1970s. Currently, there are no conservation laws in place for this shark species in Papua New Guinea.