Sharkophile

The latest shark news, photos and videos

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Researchers create new shark tagging software

  Sharks are known to change their activity levels according to varying environmental conditions (Schlaff, Huepeul, & Simpfendorfer, 2014). However, the complex lives of sharks are hidden beneath the surface. The sheer vastness of the ocean makes it difficult to monitor sharks’ natural behavior. Studying activity levels in sharks is a challenge for shark scientists. […]

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US and Canada form new white shark research group

Government agencies and shark research groups from Canada and the northeastern US announce the establishment of the New England White Shark Research Consortium (NEWSRC). This new consortium marks the first-ever collaboration between the US and Canada to study white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the northeastern US-Canadian range. The timing for this collaboration is good, given […]

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Colombia bans shark fishing

Here is some good news to start December! Colombia announced Friday that sharks’ artisanal and commercial fishing would be prohibited within Colombian waters. By decree, shark fishing is illegal throughout the 127,413.7 square miles of Colombia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Additionally, the Colombian President Iván Duque announces that fishers affected by the ban will be […]

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Shark Hero Talks: Jasmin Graham

Jasmin Graham is the president of MISS, Minorities in Shark Science. Founded by four Black female shark researchers, MISS strives to be seen and take up space in a discipline that has been mostly inaccessible for women of color. They strive to be positive role models for the next generation. MISS seeks to promote diversity […]

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Shark Hero Talks: Melissa Cristina Marquez

Melissa Márquez is the founder of the Fins United Initiative, an educational initiative that introduces audiences to the diverse sharks and scientists who study them. She is also the host of the ConCiencia Azul science-based podcast. She has starred on shark week, having an interesting encounter with a crocodile. Melissa has been called the ‘Mother […]

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New study offers insight into the diet of blacktip sharks

This article summarizes a new paper from the journal of fish biology and is cited as DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14592. The journal can be found here.    As climate change continues to affect the world’s oceans, predicting the consequences of shifting food webs is important in understanding resource use patterns. Many sharks are opportunistic hunters; however, some […]

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Happy International Sawfish Day!

October 17th is international sawfish day. The talented artist Peppermint Narwhal created this wonderful graphic. To celebrate, sharkophile will cover the five species of sawfish, with information from the sawfish conservation society. Rostrum: a beaklike projection, especially a stiff snout or anterior prolongation of the head in an insect, crustacean, or cetacean. In the case […]

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New study reveals link between shark fins and environment

Study synopsis Sharks vary significantly in their shapes, their physiology, and how they use their environment. Observing how sharks use their habitats has previously linked differences in swimming style and body shape. Shark pectoral fins have previously been grounds to classify shark species taxonomically. Shark literature contains many hypotheses on how fin shape affects shark swimming. […]