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
We all know how the shark finning industry is killing millions of sharks each year and that’s why we should not eat shark fin soup. We also know that a lot of shark species are being sold as fish and we should be careful about eating them because of the high levels of (toxic) mercury). … Read more
Very limited research has shown that the Greenland shark grows by about 0.5 to 1 cm per year. A shark that was captured and tagged off Greenland in 1936 was recaptured in 1952. In 16 years, the shark’s length had only increased by 6 centimeters. Assuming its growth rate is constant (no growth spurts), one … Read more
The sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes) are an order of sharks with long snouts, lined with teeth, used to slash and disable their prey, that is found in sandy bottoms, with the help of their electro-receptors (ampullae of Lorenzini) on the underside of the saw and then taken into the small mouth. Most sawshark occur in waters from … Read more
There could be a reason, that you plan to serve shark fin soup on your wedding day: maybe it’s tradition, maybe pressure from your family. But there is a different option: faux shark fin soup. Or why not make your own special blend of your favourite ‘lucky’ ingredients when celebrating your marriage or the new … Read more
Mike Neumann of Beqa Divers, that organizes the Fiji Shark Dive often describes his ventures as a conservation project masquerading as a dive shop. His ultimate goal: protection the sharks of Fiji. Started in 2003, the Fiji Shark Project resulted in the establishment of Shark Reef Marine Reserve, Fiji’s first MPA dedicated to researching and … Read more
We do not yet know much about the reproductive strategies of sharks and rays. Sharks have probably been very successful through evolution because they have adapted their reproduction to many different conditions. Many sharks bear live young (viviparity), others lay eggs (oviparity). Several shark species mate the entire year, others prefer certain seasons and regions. … Read more
There are over 470 species of sharks and most of them are rarely seen, even by marine biologists. But you should definitely know about these beauties! Goblin Shark The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) was first described in 1898, although Japanese fishermen already knew it as tengu-zame, which is a mythical goblin with a long nose. … Read more
Sharks are living in a changing ocean… Understanding how sharks sense and interact with their environment is vital for sustaining populations of these marine predators, which support the health of oceans around the world. Overfishing is the greatest known threat, but pollution and other environmental changes may affect the natural signals that sharks need for … Read more
Not all sharks live in open water and look really ‘sharky’. Many shark species have a more exotic look and wait for their prey in lair. One of those is the tasseled wobbegong. When prey swims by, it opens its large mouth and swallows it. And that prey can sometimes indeed be a shark… This … Read more