'Day in the Life of a Shark' Study of Natural Behaviour Using Novel Accelerometer Technology.

Behavior is the expression of an animal’s interaction with its environment and as such understanding behavior is requisite to understanding the animal itself. My project utilizes accelerometer technology to assess the fine-scale, natural behavioral patterns of lemon sharks (N. brevirostris).

Many studies have attempted to elucidate a range of behavior in sharks; however there are still many unanswered questions. Accelerometer technology combined with traditional acoustic telemetry allows for a more precise study of natural behavior than has previously been achievable. My project aims to identify and delineate a range of fine-scale behaviors of Bimini lemon sharks, thus producing a ‘diary of a shark’. This research will identify specific individual behaviors (steady swimming, resting, hunting/feeding, chafing, fright responses and use of mangrove areas), consider changes in these behaviors over diel/tidal/seasonal cycles and incorporate traditional telemetry techniques to develop a qualified map of space use. A study of the distribution and abundance of prey species will also be conducted in order to assess their potential impacts on shark behavior.

.

For more information, please contact Rob Bullock at robwbullock@gmail.com

< Back to Research List