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!

Bull Shark Selfie!

Behold!

The question being, is this legit?

Christian is an accomplished video and photo pro who can modify an image in any way he pleases - but having witnessed this specific dive and his photo rig, my vote goes for this being the real thing!

Anyway, very nice!

And the mentioned research?

It's got to do with this, and with how those findings relate to our own activities at Shark Reef. I said back then that we would investigate - and we are!

To be continued - keep watching this space!

 

Mrs. Jaws - New Article!

Great pic by Ozzie Sam - click for detail! 

Check this out!

I must really say that I find this an excellent idea!

To wit, Juerg and Charlie's latest little publication about our serial observations of Mrs. Jaws: maybe a bit lean for a conventional scientific publication but certainly interesting - or not?

And there are also videos!

Methinks this one where she was swimming around with a fishing popper lure is when the whole fiasco with the chronic infection really started to get serious - and this recent one with the grotesquely deformed jaw breaks my heart whenever I see it, as it really bodes ill for her faculty to feed successfully. Here's to me being mistaken - but we haven't seen her in a while and I'm frankly not very hopeful alas!

Anyway.

Enjoy the paper!
 

Und schon wieder was auf Deutsch!

Sehr nett!

Alles in allem prima recherchiert, bravo.

Aber Katja ist weder Taucherin noch Biologin, und da haben sich halt doch ein paar Fehler eingeschlichen. Das beschriebene Angriffsverhalten, die Angriffs-Statistiken und Jaws beziehen sich auf Weisse Haie und nicht Bullenhaie; die Europäische Flotte im Südpazifik ist winzig = so um die 5 Boote, die stark reguliert und sicherlich mitnichten das Hauptproblem sind; und unser Staatshaushalt beträgt über 2 Milliarden, da sind die 15 Millionen in Steuern vergleichsweise irrilevant - leider!

Und ich bin auch ganz bestimmt kein Schweizer! :)

Aber eben - sonst alles sehr nett!

Viel Spass beim Lesen!

Gaping Tiger Shark - Awesome!

How cool is this!

Tim is absolutely correct.

He is disturbing a predation event, and this is agonistic behavior = the Tiger is likely seeing him as a potential competitor and clearly telling him to piss off.
Amazing defensive behavior by the Turtle, too! :)
 

Story here.

 

Poaching in the Galapagos Islands!

Amazing.

Story here and here, brilliant article about a brilliant investigation by Global Fishing Watch here!

Sharks vs Humpback Whale!

Wow.

Remember this paper about Bulls killing a Whale?

Now, some Bull Sharks (and possibly Tigers and OWTs?) appear to have attacked and killed a Humpback calf in Haapai, Tonga. Very interesting - and big kudos to the good folks at Whale Discoveries for their impassioned and respectful report.

Projects Abroad - Roughing it in Fiji!

Behold!

Life as a volunteer is, quite obviously, Hard Hard Hard!

So, what are you waiting for! :)
 

Tom im Weser Kurier!

Click for detail!

Tom: ganz herzlichen Glückwunsch, und vielen Dank !

Meine Mutter kam aus Bremen = für mich persönlich ist der Artikel im Weser Kurier was ganz Besonderes!

Breakfast with Bull Sharks!

A gaggle of Scarus ridens, the Giggling Parrotfish - click for detail!

Behold!

Vinaka Mae!

Like every year, we have been invaded by a gaggle of Rolex scholars along with their indefatigable mer-mom Jayne - and like every year, we had a great time.

As always, these gals are going places!

To be continued no doubt!