Introvert Species: Wild Sharks in Gulf of Mexico Hunt in Shifts to Avoid Each Other

Sharks may have a reputation as one of the ocean's most ferocious predators, but recent study has revealed that they would go to great efforts to maintain peace in the waters. Scientists employed tracking devices to study the behavior of many kinds of coastal sharks and discovered that they hunt in shifts to preserve a happy coexistence.

The study, led by experts from Australia's Murdoch University, focused on six big species in the Gulf of Mexico, including blacktip sharks, bull sharks, sandbar sharks, great hammerhead sharks, and scalloped hammerhead sharks. 172 free-roaming individuals were fitted with accelerometers, allowing researchers to track their movements as they went about their everyday lives.

Hunting Shifts in the Gulf of Mexico

(Photo : Photo by Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(GERMANY OUT) Bull Shark, Carcharhinus leucas, Beqa Lagoon, Viti Levu, Fiji

Karissa Lear of Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, was tracking shark activity patterns in the eastern Gulf of Mexico when she observed variations across species. This was surprising, therefore she and her colleagues investigated whether various species partitioned their foraging periods.

"On a daily scale, very few instances of time partitioning have been observed," Lear says. "However, this could be more common than we think in marine ecosystems, which haven't been widely studied in this way because tracking and observing underwater animals is more difficult."

Lear and her colleagues studied the feeding habits of six different coastal shark species. They used acceleration data loggers to tag 172 individual animals, then tracked their activity levels over time, collecting 3766 hours of data.

"It looks like the bigger species like the tiger sharks have their time and no one interferes with it, so they hunt whenever it is best for them," explains Georgia Jones of Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. "Then smaller species, like blacktip sharks, will work around the timings so that they don't co-occur with tiger sharks, since tiger sharks would predate them."

Sharks with overlapping diets exchange resources by foraging at various times of the day. Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) were more active in the morning, whereas tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) were more active in the afternoon. The afternoons were reserved for sandbar sharks, while the evenings were reserved for blacktip sharks (Sphyrna lewini) During the night, both scalloped hammerheads and big hammerheads (Saphyrna mokarran) were active. This kind of time-based resource partitioning is believed to be rare in nature.

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Sharks Found in the Gulf of Mexico

These are the 6 sharks found in the Gulf of Mexico

1. Blacktip shark

Other fish, tiny sharks, certain rays, squid, crab, octopus, and lobster are among its prey. Can you catch it? Yes, with no minimum size need. Blacktip sharks may grow to be 6 feet long and form vast schools during their yearly journey south to deeper waters for the winter.

2. Bonnethead shark

Crabs, shrimp, mollusks, and tiny fish are among its prey Can you catch it? Yes, with no size restrictions. This shark, the smallest member of the hammerhead family, is often observed over shallow sand and mud flats. It is not dangerous to humans and is frequently shown as an aquarium fish.

3. Bull shark

Consumes: Everything. Bony fish, sharks, dolphins, sea birds, and even sea turtles have been found in stomachs. Can you catch it? Yes, sharks must have forks that are 54 inches long. This tough species may grow to be up to 11 feet long and is one of the few shark species that can live in both salt and fresh water. It is regarded as one of the most deadly shark species, accounting for the third greatest incidence of human attacks.

4. Great hammerhead shark

Stingrays, grouper, sea catfish, a variety of bony fishes, sharks, crabs, and squid are among its prey. Can you catch it? It is not allowed in state waterways since it is a protected species. Great hammerhead sharks, which may grow to reach 13 feet long, were designated as a protected species in 2014 due to rising worries that the shark fin trade was placing too much strain on the fisheries. The NOAA still authorizes a modest fin trade in federal waters, but licenses are required. It is now being reviewed for inclusion in the Endangered Species Act.

5. Lemon shark

Bony fishes, crabs, mollusks, rays, tiny sharks, and marine birds on occasion are among its prey. Can you catch it? It is not allowed in state waterways since it is a protected species. This shark is frequently spotted along the beach, although it seldom bites humans. In captivity, it is known to do anything it wants, and young lemons are a popular topic for physiological and behavioral research.

6. Sand Tiger Shark

Eats: Whatever is on the sea floor. Bony fish, sharks, and skates Can you catch it? In state waters, no. Sand Tiger Sharks are not the same as bigger Tiger Sharks. Sand Tigers, also known as Gray Nurse Sharks, are predominantly nocturnal.

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