#SharkbitesSaturday
Tracking the Bay’s Rays: Cownose ray migration along the Atlantic coast
If you’ve ever tickled the back of a stingray in an aquarium’s touch tank, you’ve likely introduced yourself to a cownose ray. Despite their popularity in aquaria throughout the U.S., little is known about the movements of these fish in the wild. Grace CasselberryI am currently a Marine Science and Technology Doctoral student at the […]
In the hot seat: Hot spots for pelagic shark movement reflect hot spots for commercial longline fisheries in the North Atlantic.
Check out the latest from Matt Larsen about shark habitat around the globe, and how these areas overlap with fishing hotspots! Matthew LarsenI am a second year master’s student at Coastal Carolina University in the Abel Lab. My interests focus on the ecology and life history of large marine megafauna with a central focus on […]
Shark Intelligence: Who needs a degree when you’re schoolin’ life?
People often associate intelligence with mammals because humans are mammals and we like to think of ourselves as being pretty smart. The movie Deep Blue Sea toys with the concept of genetically modified hyper-intelligent sharks running loose in a research facility. While this Sci-Fi thriller is a sensational over-exaggeration, it does pose an interesting question: […]
Saving Sawfish: Adventures in the Everglades
A few months ago, I wrote about sawfish research in Papua New Guinea, but if you live in the U.S. you can find sawfish much closer to home. The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) once roamed throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast, but now calls South Florida, particularly Everglades National Park, home. […]
The shark and the side salad
Everyone knows all sharks are carnivores. Or are they? Grace CasselberryI am currently a Marine Science and Technology Doctoral student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I use acoustic and satellite telemetry to study the spatial ecology of lemon, nurse, Caribbean reef, and tiger sharks in St. Croix to better understand habitat selection, residency, and […]
Intent to Bite: changing attitudes towards sharks
Fear of sharks has been a long standing yet irrational notion facing beachgoers for decades. Herein we discuss how we may be able to curb this fear to change public opinion and promote conservation efforts of many species. Carolyn WheelerI am currently a PhD student studying marine science at the University of Massachusetts Boston, with […]
A new take on disco fever: using “the disco effect” to save sharks
Happy Shark Week! In this article we discuss the potential use of disco-like stimuli to deter various species sharks from being accidentally caught in fisheries. Carolyn WheelerI am currently a PhD student studying marine science at the University of Massachusetts Boston, with my research based at the New England Aquarium. My research interests center around […]
Stuck in the middle with you: The trophic ecology of Caribbean reef sharks and large teleost coral reef predators
We often think of sharks as the top of the ocean food web, chowing down on seals and big fish to their heart’s content. That is often not the case! Where does the Caribbean reef shark fall in this hierarchy? Let’s find out. Grace CasselberryI am currently a Marine Science and Technology Doctoral student at […]
Saving Sawfish: Using local knowledge to study critically endangered species in remote areas
What if I told you sharks have cousins that are so morphologically distinct, they swim around sporting a toothy, chainsaw-like projection between their eyes, called a rostrum? Now what if I told you that largely because of that unique rostrum, these are some of the most endangered shark relatives in the world? Don’t lose hope! […]
Homebodies on the move: Documenting partial seasonal migration in mature nurse sharks
If I asked you to name a migrating shark, you might list pelagic ocean rovers like the white (Carcharodon carcharias), shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), or maybe even the filter feeding whale (Rhincodon typus) shark. I would be willing to bet that no one would say “the nurse shark of course!” With their new paper, long-time […]
Citizen Science and Undersea Stars: The Value of Photographs to Global Megafauna Biology
Check out this article about how tourist pictures of whale sharks are helping scientists learn about whale shark populations around the globe! Matthew LarsenI am a second year master’s student at Coastal Carolina University in the Abel Lab. My interests focus on the ecology and life history of large marine megafauna with a central focus […]
Megalodon: a puzzle piece to understanding ecological concerns around apex predator extinction
A Prehistoric Nightmare? The Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon), or “big tooth” is arguably one of the scariest creatures that has ever roamed the ocean. You may have heard about the Megalodon as a prehistoric gigantic shark that dominated the ocean millions of years ago, or even that scientists are still looking for them today, just like […]
Baby come back: capture-induced premature birthing in elasmobranchs
Capturing pregnant elasmobranchs can induce stress-related abortions. Read more to understand why and what can be done to prevent this! Aditi TripathyHello! I am an undergraduate student majoring in Marine Biology with a minor in Acoustics at the University of Rhode Island. I am a science geek to the core, and my research interests lie […]
How our Fear is Killing Sharks
Through my journey as a shark defender, I have realized the most challenging obstacle to tackle is the fear of sharks, rather than the actual killing of sharks; most people never encounter a shark in their lifetime, yet they are still scared of them and therefore don’t take the time to think much about shark […]
The Accidental Shark Researcher
Want to know more about getting started in shark research? Check out the story of Marianne Porter, an “accidental” shark researcher at Florida Atlantic University! Karla HaiatI’m an Undergraduate student at University of Rhode Island majoring in Ocean Engineering and Marine Biology. I’m interested in the intersection between technology, biology and ocean exploration, as well […]
To Cull or Not to Cull: Determining Attitudes Towards Shark Mitigation Strategies
Opinions are like…well, you know…everyone’s got them. But how can we use what people think to make better decisions? Researchers in this study investigated beachgoers’ attitudes towards different methods to deter sharks from public beaches, in hoping that their opinions would reveal where we should most target education programs going forward. Read on to find […]
Deep Secrets of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Sharkbites Saturday is thrilled to feature a guest post by Mark Royer, a Ph.D. Student from the Shark and Reef Fish Research Lab at Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, led by Carl Meyer and Kim Holland, two of the most distinguished shark scientists in the world. Mark shared his current PhD dissertation research with us, along with some of […]
A Day in the Life of a Shark Intern
Ever wonder what it is like to work as an intern in shark research? Check out Karla’s article about her summer internship in Hawaii with the Holland lab group! Karla HaiatI’m an Undergraduate student at University of Rhode Island majoring in Ocean Engineering and Marine Biology. I’m interested in the intersection between technology, biology and […]
Shark Sanctuaries: Are They Enough to Save Sharks?
Article: Ward-Paige, C.A. (2017) A global overview of Shark Sanctuary Regulations and their impact on Shark Fisheries. Marine Policy. Volume 82. August 2017. Pg. 87-97. The Human- Shark Connection As Shark Week draws to a close, people around the world are reminded of their deep fascination with sharks and human interactions. However, while Shark Week […]
Awareness Inspires Conservation
Save the whales… save the ocean… but save the sharks? This is a mission that is still new, and often surprising, to many. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is working hard to conserve white sharks specifically, and in doing so has learned that they have to work to change public perception of this critically important […]
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