The prehistoric Megalodon shark could still be alive, according to the Discovery Channel.
Two programs on Shark Week on Friday night explored the possibility that the species, which scientists believe became extinct around 2 million years ago, is actually still living.
One program aired last year on Shark Week, called Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives, which featured a search for a massive killer great white shark responsible for a rash of fatalities off the coast of South Africa.
“One controversial scientist believes that the shark responsible could be Megalodon, a 60-foot relative of the great white that is one of the largest and most powerful predators in history,” said the Discovery Channel in its description.
The network is re-aired some of that same footage, combining it and some new footage into the two-hour program it’s calling Megalodon The Extended Cut. The program aired at 8 p.m. EDT.
Another program afterward purported to bring new evidence to light that could prove the Megalodon species is still alive. At 10 p.m., “Collin Drake returns to share new details of his case and present the shocking new evidence of the existence of Megalodon, an enormous prehistoric shark that could still be roaming the oceans,” according to the network.
Megalodon sharks were the largest sharks to have ever lived, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
The program last year about the sharks still being alive infuriated some viewers, as many asserted that the Discovery Channel was basically airing a “mockumentary.”
The reaction this year has been mostly negative. “Another mockumentary. Thanks for destroying Shark Week, you’ve officially made it a joke Discovery,” said one Facebook user. “I don’t mind the fictitious story but don’t market it to us like it’s real, and atleast get some good actors for once.”
Shark Week wraps up on Saturday night.
MORE:
Megalodon: Facts About Extinct Prehistoric Shark (+Illustrations, Tooth Pictures)
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