Bull Shark vs Boat!

Cool.

The behavior is certainly unusual - and no, I'm not gonna try and interpret it. :)

Story here - enjoy!

Big Sharks scavenging on a Whale!

Another Whale another GWS - source!

Enjoy - story here!

Recovery of Sharks within a well enforced MPA - Paper!

Very nice - watch!

Paper here, synopsis here.

I must say that contrary to other papers looking at different aspects of those reefs off Western Australia where I am weary of some of the conclusions, I am quite impressed by this one as the evidence for the rapid recovery of those Sharks appears to be rock solid as e.g. evidenced by the video below.

This is good news indeed.

Provided that there is strict enforcement, MPAs appear to be an effective tool in the protection of at least those comparatively less migratory coastal Sharks - and if so, there is certainly reason for hope.

Of course for us this is nothing new.

But good to see our data (and here!) confirmed by research from other parts of the word.

Enjoy the paper!

Gallivanting Tiger Sharks - new Paper!

Remember this post?

Sure you do! :)

Now, check this out.

Once again, this is evidence for the massive influence of environmental factors whereby both the coastal abundance and swimming performance of those migrating Tiger Sharks are being shown to be highest at ~22°C. Consequently, they track their optimal temperature and are thus more likely to be found in coastal areas in winter in the tropics; but towards temperate latitudes, they are more likely to be found in coastal areas in summer, see the figure at the top - and as climate change continues to heat up the oceans, those tracks are likely to shift poleward with according potential consequences for coastal communities, see the example of Sydney.

Very interesting!

Incidentally, this is very similar to what we are currently experiencing with our Bulls who have been shown to favor a temperature of ~26°C.
As the water temperature at Shark Reef has recently hovered around 29°C for a protracted period of time,  the number of especially the larger Bull Sharks has been appreciably lower - and whereas we don't dispose of any strong evidence, it is only fair to speculate that they may have retreated to greater depths or even absconded to places like Kadavu where the water temperature has been significantly lowered by Gita.

But I'm digressing as usual.

Great paper featuring numerous people I like and respect.
Enjoy!

 

Bull Shark Tagging in Fiji!

Very nice!

Check this out.

Pascal was here to assist Kerstin in catching and tagging neonate Bulls. And whilst she has been concentrating on the Rewa River where she has managed to bag more than 100 pups, he and Gauthier of Projects Abroad did fish in the Sigatoka - not as productive as the Rewa but in exchange the results have been  very interesting indeed!

And whereas I'm not at liberty to elaborate quite yet, I can reveal that they will most certainly become an integral part of an upcoming paper, so keep watching this space!

Anyway, lovely post!

And I had to chuckle at the typically Swiss polite reference to cultural challenges = the usual shenanigans where the locals will always try and test any newbie!

Enjoy!

Ian - well spoken !

Indefatigable - here at the CMS COP11 in Quito. Source.

And this is why we like him!
Enjoy!

Escape to Shark Reef!

Very nice!

Check this out.

Juerg has been the scientific supervisor of our research and conservation for 15 years, and we simply could not be happier with the friendship, the level of cooperation and the many stellar papers our symbiotic relationship has spawned.
Contrary to what some self-appointed literal saviors of Fijian Sharks may want you believe, this is by far the most comprehensive and important collection of Shark research papers in Fiji. As such, it already has and continues to inform Government about sustainable Shark management, Shark conservation and sustainable Shark ecotourism.

And of course this is not the end by far!

As I consult my notes, there are several papers in the pipeline, some of which in preliminary stages all the way to some that are in final review and will be published very shortly indeed.

Keep watching this space!
 

Cyclone Gita - incoming!

So here it comes.

Read this.

In brief, it is very likely to pass to the south - but that's one big girl and as we all know, those tracks can change in the blink of an eye.

You know what to do!

And here comes the first Cyclone!

Check this out.

Yes the convergence zone will likely spawn a cyclone.

Luckily for us, its birth is going to be so close to Fiji that it will not have picked up much strength before wandering off - and here's to it not circling back like bloody Winston, see at top! And, it is going to be weak but it is still a cyclone, and the North can expect the usual torrential rain and likely flooding.

You know what to do!

Cormorant vs Remoras!

Source.

This is just amazing!

Source here - and a big H/T to Daniel of Shark Business for finding it!

Enjoy!

PS - and here's the long version - that's one helluva persistent bird lemme tell 'ya!

Especially for You Tumbiau!

Yes she has been naughty again - click for detail!

In the Lion's Den!

Yes it is true.

Here she is in all her splendor.

She glided in nonchalantly in the middle of the shallow feed, and took up residence right next to the bait crate until some lumbering brute with a camera had her move away again.

Talk about a contender for the Darwin Awards!

Click for detail!

Herwarth and Vreni - simply epic!

Source.

Remember this post - sure you do! :)

Well here they are in all their glory.

This was just the beginning as the gals were then coerced to mouth feed whilst topless - and of course the whole thing then ended in tears. And yes talk about Déjà vu huh = nihil novum, especially not the bikini bimbettes!

Huge H/T to the Saffron Pimpernel for having unearthed this gem!

GHH in Beqa Lagoon!

This is a biggie from Ovalau - source!

Behold!

Yes they are definitely here!
This one is from Project Abroad's BRUV research - and for the moment, the specific location will need to remain a secret lest some eager Shark killer be tempted to go catch himself a set of valuable fins. But it is excellent GHH habitat and we will certainly start looking a bit more closely as this is not the first time a GHH has been sighted there.

To be continued - keep watching this space!

Bull Shark vs Hippos!

Source - apparently this is not too rare!

Feisty feisty!
Enjoy - story here!

A Global Perspective on the Trophic Geography of Sharks - Paper!

Click for detail!

Awesome!

Read this. 

Yes that's a whole lot of authors, among which some people I like a lot = for once cooperation has been absolutely stellar and one has to congratulate Chris for having been able to pull this off, and for having laid the foundations for a global collective of researchers investigating Sharks by means of stable isotope analysis.

Press release here, report here.

And no, all is so clear and exhaustive that I really got nothing to add!

Kudos - very impressive indeed!
 

What Rebecca said!

Still one of the very best feeding pics from the SRMR!

You really must read this.

Bravo Re - this is exhaustive, balanced, insightful and truthful.

Could not have said it better myself - and you are so much more objective, and also charming (!) than I will ever be - to wit you did not use the f word even one single time! :)

Kudos!

Investigatory Bite?

And I cite,

It [the shark] opened its massive mouth and as it's closed its mouth it kind of ripped down as it went to swim away," she said. "There was one metre [missing] off Callum's body. 
I was horrified, then I realised it was just the fin. We're just lucky that it was an investigatory bite and didn't involve any missing limbs. Once we got back on the boat I was pretty upset and a little bit shocked, but it's a really beautiful encounter with out of our most revered apex predator" 

Right.

What a load of horse manure - beautiful encounter my ass!

No that was not an investigatory nibble.

That was a predatory attack, and like they often do, that GWS was trying to immobilize its prey and went for the propulsion; and the dude is really incredibly lucky that he merely lost a fin and not his leg. Seriously, can we please  stop the bloody whitewashing and finally let Sharks be Sharks.

Thank you.

Breaching OWTs - Paper!

GSD member Epic Diving - best operator to dive with OWTs. Source.

Very nice!

Read this!

It is obviously not only about breaching OWTs, but the breach it describes is totally spectacular - story here. 

Yannis and Yuuki are quickly establishing themselves as the gurus of small multi-use electronic packages that can be temporarily affixed to the Sharks in varying configurations, and are thus able to help find answers to the most diverse scientific questions.

Way to go Team Predator!

Like always, very impressed.

Kudos!
 

Feeding Swordfish - just amazing!

Baby Swordfish - cute as hell.  Source.

Source - enjoy!

GWS and Diver!

Watch.

Scary scary shit - and probably legit!

This is apparently South Africa where Death by GWS is most definitely a reality!

Enjoy!

Inverted Trophic Pyramids - Paper!

Watch.
 

And now, read this = very interesting!

And with all that evidence, it appears pretty conclusive that those infamous counter-intuitive inverted trophic pyramids do indeed exist.

And the examples at top?

Still not at all convinced, see this post - and I cite from the paper,

However, instances in which energy is exogenously sourced to create top-heaviness (e.g. from another time or another ecological space) present more opportunity for healthy debate.
If, for instance, we allow ourselves to view the operation of communities at non-traditionally ambitious spatial and temporal scales, many of these systems become less top-heavy – or not top-heavy at all. Top-heavy coral reef communities in which mobile consumers draw energy from neighbouring pelagic communities, for example, begin to look more Eltonian when the dynamics of multiple communities are viewed collectively. 
The underlying challenge is that by habit or necessity, the modus operandi of many ecologists is to survey the biomass contained within a community in a snapshot fashion – and such practices poorly acknowledge the spatially and temporally remote processes that shape community structure.

Bingo - exactly like I said!

Yes fished remote islands and atolls have less Sharks and big predators (because they have been fished away) and feature conventional trophic pyramids - but unless convinced of the contrary, I must insist that those pristine, unfished ones still don't feature those inverted trophic pyramids (read it!) - at least not permanently!

Anyway.

Enjoy the paper!

 

Fiji's Shark Feeders!

Nice!

Thank you Sophie - much appreciated!
And thank you Jayne! :)

Enjoy!

 

Okinawa - bigass GWS!

Behold!

That's one big beautiful Shark - and some seriously krazy kamikaze divers!

This is the last population of GWS everybody knows about but nobody can properly study as there are no known hotspots like mating or feeding aggregations, or nurseries, and the sightings are rare and extremely widely spread geographically.

Story here - enjoy!

Ministry of Fisheries - awesome!

White Teatfish - remember? Source.

Love it!

Fiji's Ministry of Fisheries is showing some teeth - finally!

First they did effectively shut down the illegal trade in bêche-de-mer that has been driving the widespread poaching, and maiming and killing numerous young Fijians. And now they have banned the harvesting and trade in live rock and live coral that has equally been a scourge to our marine biodiversity. Hopefully the latter ban will be relaxed once the coral farmers can come up with a verified sustainable product - but for now the blanket ban is certainly the best solution.

Bravo Fisheries - we are proud of you!

Our Elasmobranchs next please!

PS - it is complicated - H/T Saffron Pimpernell!
 

Ivory - excellent News!

No more of this shit - source.

Read this.
Bravo Xi Jinping and Barack Obama!
 
 

Shark Bite!

Oh well - watch this.

PS - Hahahahahahaha - embedding has been disabled - but of course it has not been deleted as Freek wants to continue showcasing his heroic feat: you can watch it right here!
PPS - and now it has been retracted...
PPPS - and in case you missed it: here it is on another page!

Oh and here is the video - til it gets retracted again.... hahahahahahaha... seriously, how fucking pathetic is that!



Well what can I say.

That baited reefie snorkel where Doc weans his students and select visitors off their selachophobia has always been sketchy as all it took was some wrong movement and/or highly competitive situation and/or a particularly frisky individual to trigger a bite - and q.e.d.!

Not really impressed by the lack of proper first aid materials (QuikClot please!) on the boat, not really impressed by the absence of a medical professional and not really impressed by what appears to be a rather nonchalant evacuation protocol - but this is obviously not a tourist setup but a science lab, and the risk assessment and liability implications may indeed be different. But still - so let the learning curve be steep as shit will continue to happen!

And the dude?

I must say that he did handle it quite well, and that my personal impression that he was a bit of a wanker has improved accordingly - tho was there really any urgent need to show this to the masses at large? So here's to said masses learning that Sharks are never, ever puppy dogs, and that engaging in stupid behavior with wildlife is, well, stupid.

In diesem Sinne - Happy New Year everybody!

PS Shark bite here and here and here - til that gets deleted, too!
And... he really is a wanker for leaving that shit online!

Juvenile Scalloped Hammers in the Rewa - Paper!

Behold!

I must say that I like and also hate it.

Specifically, I like seeing the confirmation of the previous hypothesis that the Rewa may be a nursery for Scalloped Hammerheads; what I hate is the likely massive post-release mortality, the fact that those Sharks are currently still being obliterated by the local fishermen, and several highly disturbing ethical aspects concerning the authors and other involved persons that need not be divulged here.

Anyway, quite nice - enjoy!

No more Shark Feeding in French Polynesia?

Problematic - unregulated Elasmobranch feeding with snorkelers. Source.

Remember this stupidity?

Alas, it ain't going away - on the contrary!

According to this piece, the new Environmental Law of French Polynesia is targeting both Elasmobranch feeding and Whale watching, see page 2416ff. The law has been published without any proper scientific backing and zero consultations with the concerned stakeholders, and the operators are said to be in a state of shock. Both activities have been a mainstay of French Polynesia's tourism industry for many decades, and in the case of Shark diving both in baited and unbaited conditions, many constant refinements that have taken place of the years make this one of the most sustainable, exhilarating and safe such activities anywhere.

The rules are still to be translated into specific regulations. 

So here's to cooler heads prevailing, and that this will merely result in better management and supervision, which is probably a good thing - this NOT because of the infamous Tiger Shark dives at the Vallée Blanche that are actually extremely well conducted and very safe indeed, but because of the many unregulated snorkeling tours with Reefies and Stingrays in baited conditions, see e.g. here that are definitely a cause for concern.

So I remain hopeful - for now!

French Polynesia is awash with excellent Shark researchers who have collected a plethora of data and can easily inform the authorities. Right now as a friend remarks c'est bien n'importe quoi - and one can most certainly do better.

To be continued no doubt - keep watching this space!
 

Stress in Cape Fur Seals - Paper!

Source.

Very nice - watch.



Paper here.
Well done!

They're at it already!

Click for detail!

Behold!

Yes those would definitely be mating scars!

This is way, way early - but then again, this has been a very warm year likely leading to strong fetal development and a very early pupping season, too! To wit, Fold, Tip and Bum are already back from the nurseries all gaunt and ravenous, and busy bulking up after more than a month of fasting!

Long story short, the Running of the Bulls may be upon us very shortly indeed!

So, what are you waiting for! :)

Tiger Tiger Tiger - and one more Tiger!

Click for detail!
 

Yes it is true.

This has been epic.

We had a shy Tiger on the first dive and then, three different Tigers, among which the big and ever feisty BRAT, see at top, on the second dive.

For us, this would be a historical first.

So, what are you waiting for!

Lupe - same old same old!

Oh FFS - read this.

Indeed, fucking image of the day no less - click for detail!

And of course, it's once again the fucking Sea Escape and the bloody Ramsey chick along with her demented circular echo chamber of self-promoting #Instagram sharkettes. 

For years now, those bloody attention-seeking disrespectful morons have been brazenly breaking the rules at Guadalupe and adding insult to injury by publicly flaunting their idiotic feats on social media. And let there be no doubt that starting with the name of the head Shark molester, it's nothing but one big calculated scam, a continuous celebration of gratuitous vanity and a succession of vacuous platitudes where the animals are merely being abused as props and conduits to perceived fame and money.

Seriously, what a fucking disgrace - the perpetrators and those who applaud them!

And the fucking authorities?

Is it really true that they are too corrupt, or too cowardly to finally enforce their own rules, and to finally cancel the license of the operator and finally ban those people?

We shall see shall we not!

The world is watching!

Parque Nacional Revillagigedo!

¡Viva México!

This really is fantastic news - announcement here, story here.

This is hands down one of the best dive destinations in the world.

You will be witnessing some of the most iconic species whilst being serviced by one of the most professional, most luxurious and safest operators in the industry, GSD member Nautilus Liveaboards.

 

So, what are you waiting for!

 

How NOT to experience Cage Diving with GWS!

Oh for crying out loud.

Have you seen this?

So after all that has happened - the cage breaches, the injured animals, the idiotic and illegal out-of-cage expeditions, the countless meetings and debates and then finally, the several revisions of the rules, and all those other efforts to finally steer the cage diving industry in Guadalupe towards a more long-term sustainable future,

• How can the Islander in any way endorse those images of the chick repeatedly breaking the rules by completely leaning out of the cage? 


• And why was she allowed to handle the bait? 


• And assuming that the latina at the end, with the SEMARNAT and CONANP shirt  is an observer: WTF was she doing whilst that stupidity was enfolding - maybe having an extended siesta? Honi qui mal y pense - right?
  

Anyway.

I'm quite confident that now that I'm posting this, somebody will take notice. :)

To be continued no doubt!

Don't eat the Reef Fish!

Source.

Bingo!

Remember this post?

Now I discover that Palau is planning to build an offshore fleet in order to fish for Tuna and other pelagics within 20% of its EEZ - and that is a good thing, and this not only economically but also ecologically! 

With the Pacific Islands running out of Fish due to a combination of rampant overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change (read it - this is truly frightening shit!), reducing the consumption of coastal Fish in favor of pelagic species becomes increasingly important - and this by both locals and visitors.

Really interesting paper here.

Required reading!

Vaquita

Source.

So this is the end.

And you moronic Whale huggers.

Yes YOU, with all your new age garbage, your breathy noise and your misguided pseudo-conservation: this has happened on your watch, and I am laying it squarely at your feet.

And the Māui?

We shall see shall we not!

Reef Shark Competition - Paper!

Reeftop hunters: Blacktip Reefies. Fantastic image by Tom!

And talking of those Reefies.

Here's another great paper.

Assuming I understand it correctly, it illustrates how Grey and Blacktip Reefies segregate spatially and are thus able to partition their habitat and consequently, its resources = prey. 

Whereas I've always believed that the Greys would always outcompete the Blacktips based on size and aggression, the paper conclusively illustrates how the segregation is based on the the fact that each species derives a competitive advantage by being better adapted to specific spatial niches, i.e. the forereef for the Greys and the backreef and lagoon for the Blacktips - incidentally, much like is being illustrated at Shark Reef!

Once again, I'm impressed by the scope and the rigor.

Well done Yannis and Co - and impressive lineup, too! :)

Required reading - enjoy!

 

Second Alert!

Have a good look at the above - click for detail.

Yes it is shocking.

Article here, paper here - read them, and then go and fucking do something!

And no I really got nothing to add.

Shark Eyes?

Butterfly eye spots: likely not mimicry but rather, aimed at startling and distracting - source.

Watch.

I'm sure this may surprise you - but I kinda like this?

There's a website with some info, some of which quite good - but some probably not so much, as in the whole treatment of (Batesian?) mimicry in general and eye spots in particular, as the scientific  interpretation  of the latter is at best inconclusive. 

But of course we all know that those predatory Sharks are highly opportunistic, and that when they try to sneak up on us, they will generally veer away once we look at them - so the analogy to those Tiger deterrent masks from the Sundarbans may actually be quite fitting!

Any caveats? Most certainly!

• First and foremost, I wonder whether the likely target species, i.e. the archetypal GWS attacking a surfboard would even properly discern those eyes = assuming that it would be attacking from below and thus aim for a silhouette, the underside of the surfboard with those eyes would likely be too dark? Any way of having those eyes glow?


• Secondly, like in all those cases, caveat habituation whereby even those Bangladeshi Tigers did apparently stop being fooled after a while?


• And lastly (but this is by far not exhaustive!), here's to those surfers refraining from feeling bite-proof and negating the benefits of the deterrent by engaging in riskier behavior!

Plus, were it me, I would a) not buy a decal but paint my own eyes onto my board instead, and b) they would be much bigger as I would position them lengthwise!

But, I generally like it!

It is non-invasive, cheap and certainly plausible, as are those mask straps - the latter certainly not for Shark nerds like us, but maybe for other water users like abalone divers etc. 

So godspeed and all.

I obviously doubt that there will ever be (and here!) any conclusive science - but it is surely worth a try!

Shark-mediated Trophic Cascade in Fiji - Paper!

Reeftop predators: Blacktip Reefie and Bluefin Trevallies - great pic by Allen!

Nice!

Read this.

It illustrates how Reef Sharks influence the behavior of seaweed grazers and consequently, consistently influence the size and distribution of seaweed on the back reef of Votua, i.e. right in front of the iconic Eco Café, home of Fiji's very best wood-fired pizza, friendliest service and most beautiful smiles. 

 

  Click for detail!

Well done Doug and Mark.

I must really say that this is science at its best, with observations leading to questions and then a proper hypothesis that is being rigorously tested, exactly as it should be. What I also like, is that the authors refrain from unduly exaggerating and generalizing the role (and trophic ranking!) of Reef Sharks but instead attribute the cascading effects to the specific situation alone - again exactly as it should be.

Required reading - story here, nice synopsis here.

Enjoy!

TGIF: Sixgills vs Sub!

Source.

Amazing - story here!
Enjoy!

GWS vs BRUV - Video!

Watch.
That sure is a lot of effort for a tiny canister of Sardines!
Story here - enjoy!

Bird-eating GTs - Video!

Source.

This is beyond awesome.

Latest since that paper, I knew that those GTs are totally badass - but seeing this, along with the unbelievably spectacular footage and the awesome editing simply leaves me in total awe!

And yes this would obviously be the BBC - who else!

H/T Serena - enjoy!

GWS Predation - Video!

Source.

Way cool - except if you're a Seal!
Story here - enjoy!

Shark Dive Videos!

The only acceptable Shark soup indeed!

Stunning - and captured whilst following our normal procedures!
Enjoy!

PS: And by the way.

Turns out that that small male (!) Maskray at 6:37ff in the first video may well be a species of interest!

I've now spent the better part of the day conversing with prominent Elasmo taxonomists - and the consensus is that this may be something akin to, but quite possibly different from the recently described N. trigonoides (and here) in the Neotrygon species complex.
 

With that in mind, should you have any pics or video of Bluespotted Maskrays from Fiji, please do forward them to the excellent people of Shark Search Indopacific.
Thank you!

The Bulls of Beqa!

Thank you so much Melinda!

This is really, really nice.

Melinda is a repeat visitor - and it really shows as she understands, and has pretty much nailed what we do, and why.
Much appreciated, really!

Enjoy!
 

Gombessa IV - The Science!

Source.

Remember?

So here is Johann's post.
Like I said, totally, utterly and ridiculously amazing!
And Yannis most certainly agrees.



Enjoy!
 

Sixgill Stingray - Video!

Way cool!

I didn't even know they existed = it just goes to show that one learns something new every day!

Post here - enjoy!