A local fisherman in Australia, who caught the second largest fish in the world called basking shark, handed the fish to Museum Victoria to study the animal.

As per experts, basking shark measures around 20 ft and weighs over 7,700 pounds. They are the second largest species of fish after the whale shark, which measures 41 ft.

The creature got the name because of its slow movements. The creature has tiny teeth that measures about two millimeters, which it uses to trap planktons, krill and jellyfish in its enormous mouth.

Museum of Victoria, in the southern city of Melbourne, is planning to use the body of donated shark for research. They would investigate the shark's genetic, life history and diet.

The museum already has three specimens of the shark but all them are over 80 years old.

Martin Gomon, senior curator of ichthyology of the museum, said, "These rare encounters can provide many of the missing pieces of knowledge that help broader conservation and biological research".

The shark's head and fins would be used to build a full-scale exhibition model, according to the museum spokesperson.

Dianne Bray, senior collection manager of vertebrate zoology of the museum, said basking sharks had been sighted around Australia's Victoria state over the years.

She added that the sharks are rare in southern waters. The shark swims throughout all of the world's temperate oceans.

Basking sharks are also migratory creatures but they are only sighted in few populated coastal regions like Cornwall, England. They usually dive in the ocean depths to look for food.