Whale sharks: boat strikes in protected areas could be harming the animals’ development
COVENTRY (UK)- The biggest fish in the ocean, whale sharks, are incredible animals. They can reach lengths of over 18 metres and weigh more than 19,000kg. Each shark has a unique pattern of spots on its body, like a fingerprint. The number of whale sharks in our oceans has been inContinue Reading
Oceanic sharks and rays have declined by 71% since 1970 – a global solution is needed
Oceanic sharks and rays live so far from land that the average person is unlikely to ever see them. But these species, which live in the vast open ocean, are also among the most revered, and include the great white shark and the giant manta ray. For millennia, their remotenessContinue Reading
Aegean Sea hotspot for Angel Sharks
THESSALONIKI (Greece)- The southern Aegean Sea, around the Greek Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands, is potentially a very important area for three species of angel shark species, the Sawback Angelshark (Squatina aculeata), Smoothback Angelshark (S. oculata), and Angelshark (S. squatina). Researchers of iSea have recently discovered several records of angel sharksContinue Reading
Increase of dead zones makes sharks more vulnerable for fisheries
LISBON (Portugal) A new crisis emerges worldwide because of climate change: the number of dead zones in our oceans is rising. And that means that fish that normally swim there, are now coming to surface layers where they can find oxygen. And that’s where the fishing industry awaits. Researchers showContinue Reading
Blue shark in Spanish harbor
LA SAVINA (SPAIN)- The waters of the harbor of the village of La Savina on the Mediterranean island Formentera, were visited by an almost 2m large blue shark this week. One diver entered the cold January waters to try to get a hook out of the mouth of the shark. Continue Reading
Climate change causes smaller and weaker shark pups
BOSTON (UK)- Climate change causes ocean temperatures to rise. This leads to shark pups being born smaller, exhausted and undernourished into already challenging environments, says a new study conducted at the New England Aquarium Ocean warming, resulting from global climate change, is already causing unprecedented changes to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. TheContinue Reading
Giant ancient sharks had enormous babies that ate their siblings in the womb
LEICESTER (UK)- Made famous by the 2018 blockbuster The Meg, the largest predatory shark ever discovered, the megalodon, is a bit of a mystery. We know it lived between 15 and 3.6 million years ago and it reached at least 14 metres in length, more than double the size ofContinue Reading