There is variation within species, and this variation can lead to some individuals surviving better in the face of environmental change. But it is difficult to predict how animals will respond to an environment that is changing faster than they can evolve. Luckily, some scientists found a clever way to study how individuals might respond […]
We all know that sharks are excellent hunters, but can the instinctual predatory mind of one of the ocean’s apex predators be influenced by the fishing actions of humans? Can sharks learn to feed differently based on human presence? Francesca GiammonaI am a PhD candidate at Wake Forest University, and I received a B.S. in […]
As our oceans change, we don’t really know what the current decline of sharks means for stingrays, or for the coral reefs where they both live. Scientists at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science want to find out. Kristin HuizengaI am a PhD student studying Biological Oceanography at the University of […]
The Deep Unknown The deep ocean is an alien world. Life here must contend with crushing pressures, near-freezing temperatures, and a complete absence of light. At more than a thousand feet deep, it’s also the least explored and least understood ecosystem on Earth. That’s a problem, because the deep makes up about 95% of […]
Did you know there could be shark in your dog or cat’s food? Did you know they could also be in your beauty products? Now that you’re back from reading your product labels, I’ll tell you the bad news. They might be there even if it isn’t on the label. Keep reading to learn how […]
Drymon, J. M., K. Feldheim, A. M. V. Fournier, E. A. Seubert, A. E. Jefferson, A. M. Kroetz, and S. P. Powers. 2019. Tiger sharks eat songbirds: scavenging a windfall of nutrients from the sky. Ecology 00(00):e02728. 10.1002/ecy.2728 Tiger sharks are well known to be opportunistic feeders, and that description isn’t limited to just live […]
Ocean circulation patterns are generally thought to move water from one area to another in the world’s oceans. One example of this includes eddies, swirling water masses that spin off from major ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream off the coast of the eastern U.S. Some of these eddies can bring more productive waters […]
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 […]
Sharks: an animal we love to fear. Sharks are an essential part of the environment; unfortunately, these animals are facing the most danger in the entirety of their 450 million year old existence. What can we do to protect these amazing elasmobranchs? The first step is reconnecting with sharks. Rishya NarayananRishya is a multimedia science […]
If you have any intererst in shark anatomy, ecology or evolution, find out about a must-see website designed by the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project. Jasmin GrahamI am a Masters student in Biological Sciences at Florida State University. I received my B.S. in Marine Biology and B.A. in Spanish at the College of Charleston where […]
Even though shark attacks are rare, fear of sharks has led people to support laws that kill sharks en masse. A new study shows that at the root of our fear of sharks is the belief that they intend to hurt us. By thinking about how we talk about shark intentionality in educational settings and […]
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 […]
Capturing pregnant elasmobranchs can induce stress-related abortions. Read more to understand why and what can be done to prevent this! Aditi TripathyHello! I received my B.S. Marine Biology with a minor in Acoustics at the University of Rhode Island. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student at the University of New Hampshire with a research focus […]
Human-shark interactions don’t always end well on both sides. Is it possible to build a shark repellant that can keep both humans and sharks safe by using information about sharks’ sense of sight and hearing? Read more to find out! Megan ChenI graduated with a Masters of Coastal & Marine Management from the University of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Researchers at the Bimini Field Biological Station Shark Lab investigated shark group preferences in juvenile lemon sharks, and the results are in: even sharks prefer their “friends” over strangers! Read on to learn more about these fin-tastic friendships. Anna RobuckI am a third year PhD student at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of […]