Cape Cod shark researchers recognized 55 new white sharks on analysis journeys final yr, bringing the documented whole to greater than 600 particular person apex predators for the reason that scientists started monitoring the inhabitants in 2014.
Atlantic White Shark Conservancy researchers, working with Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, use underwater video footage to determine sharks alongside the Cape.
The scientists doc and match every shark with beforehand ID’d people utilizing the White Shark Catalog. The researchers have a look at whether or not a shark has been seen earlier than. “New” sharks are added to the catalog and assigned a nickname.
From footage collected throughout final yr’s 18 analysis journeys, the researchers recognized 55 new people and documented the return of 63 sharks.
Among the returning sharks was Danny, an 11-foot male that was first recognized by the crew in 2014. He has returned to Cape Cod yearly since and was tagged by Skomal in 2019.
Since he was tagged, he has traveled as far south as Georgia and as far north as Maine and Nova Scotia. From the footage collected over time, the crew has been capable of doc Danny’s development and proof of his predatory interactions with seals.
“By comparing images of Danny collected over the years, we know he appears to be in good health and is feeding on seals off our coast,” mentioned Megan Winton, analysis scientist on the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Footage of white sharks from outdoors the area has been worthwhile for studying extra in regards to the species all through its vary within the northwest Atlantic. White sharks journey 1000’s of miles alongside the east coast of the U.S. and Canada in the course of the yr.
“The AWSC provides the most comprehensive publicly available information on white sharks in the Northwest Atlantic,” mentioned Cynthia Wigren, CEO and co-founder of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
“In addition to white shark sighting and detection data, the White Shark Catalog is another valuable resource,” Wigren added. “We encourage everyone on the east coast of the U.S. and Canada who encounters a white shark to send us video footage and photos so we can continue to build and enhance the catalog.”
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has up to date its publicly obtainable White Shark Catalog to incorporate information from the 2022 analysis season.
The Catalog may be accessed by way of the White Shark Logbook, which is hosted on the Conservancy’s web site. The hyperlink for the logbook is shiny.atlanticwhiteshark.org/logbook/.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”