South African researchers were astonished when they discovered a giant white shark migrating from the Indian Ocean to Australia and back in just nine months.
This shark is one of many being monitored by researchers in their efforts to improve conservation strategies.
Describing this migration in the journal Science, researchers stated that the journey of this shark is unique among fish species – only the swordfish is known to undertake a similar journey.
Tracking a giant white shark alone is a remarkable feat. It took a team to keep the shark calm while a satellite tracking device was attached to its dorsal fin.
Fortunately, neither the researchers nor the shark were harmed during the attachment process.
Conservationists are striving to determine how far white sharks can travel, aiming to identify protective measures that could help prevent their extinction. Many sharks have migrated from South Africa to the waters of Mozambique, where they face no protection.
However, scientists were shocked by the journey of the shark they named Nicole – after the Australian actress and shark enthusiast, Nicole Kidman.
The great white shark is believed to typically follow coastal areas, but this represented a trans-oceanic migration.
The journey was direct, rather than aimlessly wandering, with only a brief stop near Australia.
The fact that one in twenty monitored sharks undertook this journey raises the hypothesis that this behavior may be common and possibly related to finding mates.
