We tend to think of sharks as vicious carnivores that will take a bite out of anything that comes their way, but that’s not an accurate representation of these diverse species. Some sharks are scavengers that satisfy their nutritional requirements by munching on decomposing carcasses. Others restrict themselves to tiny organisms no bigger than your … Read more
Wat bewaart een zeemeermin in haar tasje? babyhaaitjes en babyrogjes natuurlijk! Er zijn meer dan dan 600 soorten haaien en roggen ter wereld en zeker 15 soorten komen in de Nederlandse kustwateren voor. Een aantal daarvan plant zich voort door het leggen van taaie, leerachtige eikapsels, die soms ook wel ‘zeemeermintasje’ worden genoemd. De eikapsels … Read more
There is no sign of improvement in the status of Mediterranean chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and chimaeras) more than a decade since they were first assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. There were no genuine improvements in status for the 73 species, whereas the status of 11 species worsened by at least … Read more
Many research projects are focused on tracking sharks and rays. The objective of is research is data collection about habitat and migration patterns to support conservation of species, by f.i. restricting allowable catches, protect the habitat itself by restricting access of construction and development. Restricting fishing quota for adult individuals is not sufficient: the protection … Read more
Recently, we saw a video of a manta ray, that had dived to a depth of 560 ft. A spectacular sight, this eerie white creature in the dark, deep water, accompanied by a school of tiny fishes. But how deep can a manta ray dive? Research has shown that manta rays do not swim, but … Read more