Sharks Around The World Part I - Belize

Dedicated to Freddie - Good luck!!

            Graced with glorious coastlines, Belize is a popular tourist destination for many avid divers - especially shark watchers. Numerous shark species visit the waters of Belize seasonally, with certain reef sharks remaining there year round. Caribbean reef and blacktip sharks (the latter not to be confused with blacktip reef sharks) patrol the sandbanks by day and rule the water at night, scouring the reef and the outlying Belize Fan for prey. Whale sharks migrate annually to the coast of Belize, making a perfect attraction for snorkelers, while bull sharks and tiger sharks stalk the seabed.

            Alike to many other coastal reefs, the Belize Fan plays host to the annual mating of pelagic fish (fish that normally live in the ocean). This natural phenomenon attracts whale sharks in their dozens, who come to feed on the fish eggs as well as the plankton rich water. Bull and tiger sharks, meanwhile, prefer to feast on the fish themselves. Cubera snapper fish spawn in immense balls, with tens of thousands of fish mating at the same time. Working in tandem with others of their species, bull and tiger sharks corner the fish, surrounding them from all angles, before darting into the ball for a mouthful of fish.

Cubera snapper fish mate
in large balls.

            Of the three reefs on the Belize Fan, Turneffe Atoll is by far the most diverse. Aside from the iconic coral reefs, which teem with marine life, there are also vast planes of sea grass, which are a favoured feeding ground for manatees and sea cows, and interminable mangrove swamps, which play host to many young and adolescent fish who have yet to emerge onto the reef.

A lemon shark leaves the mangroves
of Turneffe Atoll.

            Amidst the diverse life of the mangrove swamps, lemon shark pups lurk, honing their hunting skills as they grow. These shallow waters are ideal for the pups to be born in (lemon sharks, amongst others, give birth to live young rather than laying eggs), as larger sharks are unable to enter them and feast upon the new-born pups living there.

            Tiger sharks, one of the most feared shark species, inhabit the waters of Belize year-round, preying on the constant population of hawksbill turtles in the area. Belize is one of many turtle nesting grounds in the Caribbean, making it an ideal home for predatory sharks. As both the turtles and the sharks grow more endangered, however, the populations of both have decreased, leaving a gaping vacuum in the marine ecosystem.

A diver swims alongside a whale shark
at the Belize Fan.

Sharks Around The World

Readers,

  Over the next few months, I will be writing several new posts about sharks in different areas of the world.

  Unfortunately, due to a possible lack of internet, I may not be able to post these pieces as yet. If I am unable to obtain internet during my holiday, these pieces will be posted en masse in September.

  To wet your appetite for this, I have written a small piece about sharks in Belize. An updated version of this will be posted at my earliest convenience.

  Keep reading.

Daniel Bailey

The Whitetip Reef Shark

  Predominantly inhabiting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, especially the Great Barrier Reef, where it is one of the most common sharks, whitetip reef sharks could be referred to as the wolves of the sea - dominating the ocean at night and swarming across reefs in their hundreds.

  Small and slow, whitetip reef sharks make for good aquarium exhibits and are a great attraction for divers in the wild. Although they are generally passive, these reef sharks have been known to attack spear-fishermen whilst trying to steal their catch. Numerous divers have been injured in the feeding frenzies that ensue, although these well-publicised events are few and far between.

  Dwelling in caves for the most part of the time, whitetips come to life at night as they prowl their reef-homes in the dark - preying on any unfortunate fish or crustacean they come across. With slender, cartilaginous bodies, they can easily press themselves into crevices or caves in search of food. Scavengers by nature, some whitetip reef sharks - most notably those of Hawaii - have learned to follow seals in order to steal their hard-earned meals. Others have developed the bait of waiting by reef drop-offs and catching the remains of fish,

Whitetip reef sharks rarely grow
to two metres in length.

which float in with the tide.

  A typical behaviour of reef sharks, whitetips often frequent cleaning stations on their reef, where cleaner wrasse and small fish feed on the many parasites sharks are known to suffer from. Copepods often attach themselves to whitetips in order to feed on their flesh.

  Their are, however, some more fearsome predators to the whitetip reef shark. Around America and Mexico, tiger sharks frequently kill whitetips for their meat, while silvertip sharks in Australia will attack any creature in order to defend their territory. Astonishingly, the remains of full grown whitetip reef sharks have been discovered in the stomachs of giant groupers. These gargantuan fish often inhabit the wreckages of boats and aeroplanes near to reefs and are easily capable of swallowing a shark whole. Due to their rarity, however, such an occurrence is not common and has only been witnessed a few times.

  Rarely leaving the reef they were born at, whitetip reef sharks have come to symbolise fidelity to the natives of many Pacific islands. This is generally attributed to their fear of the predators around their reefs, rather than to the sharks being instinctively territorial, as they are social creatures and often rest in large groups during the day.

  Sadly, whitetip numbers have declined in recent years due to the numerous fisheries hunting them for the hide, meat and liver oil. The destruction of their restricted reef-habitat has also played a large role in this, reducing their numbers abhorrently. Slow reproducers, it is quite possible that whitetips will be hunted to extinction in certain areas before they are able to repopulate.

A juvenile whitetip reef shark on the Great Barrier Reef. Note the distinctive
white fin and tail tips.

The Nurse Shark

  For many a species that would hold little interest, there is in fact far more to the nurse shark than meets the eye.

  Most people dismiss the nurse shark because of its evident lack of aggression. It is only to be expected, of course, that the more volatile sharks are the ones people find the most interesting. Yet those who study nurse sharks and delve into the secrets of the species find that they hold a great many surprising secrets beneath their dull exterior.

  Found in most warm waters, such as the Mediterranean Sea and West Atlantic Ocean, the nurse shark is a common sight for divers. A slow swimmer, few divers would have bargained on the nurse shark being as aggressive as it is towards humans. Although no fatalities have been recorded, this shark has perpetrated numerous unprovoked attacks to supplement the multitudes of provoked ones. Since many divers abhorrently abuse these creatures, perceiving them as weak and passive, it is most likely that those who have been attacked by nurse sharks have not recorded the occurrences for fear of persecution and humiliation. Surprisingly, nurse sharks are responsible for the most shark bites recorded.

Because of their docile nature, nurse sharks are commonly exhibited in aquariums.

  With thick skin prized above most others' as leather, nurse sharks are hunted in many areas for both their tough hide and also their liver oil, which is used in medicine. Because of its widespread population, biologists are uncertain as to the numbers of nurse sharks, although they do not believe them to be at threat of extinction.

  Feeding mostly on shellfish and crabs, nurse sharks have flat, molar-like teeth used to crush through the tough shells of their prey. For tougher-shelled creatures, however, they have a different technique: creating a vacuum with their mouths, nurse sharks are able to suck a shellfish from its casing -  rendering it defenceless and easy to eat.

  Growing up to three metres long, nurse sharks are, like the vast majority of reef dwelling sharks, nocturnal, spending most of the day resting in caves. Like many other reef sharks, nurse sharks are able to breathe without moving, by pumping water over their gills as they sit on the sand. Social creatures, nurse sharks have been known to sleep in conglomerations of up to forty specimens.

Nurse sharks normally live for about twenty five human years.

The Epaulette Shark

  Not to be underestimated on account of its size, nor because of its passive aura, the epaulette shark has adapted perfectly to its environment and is an ideal demonstration of evolutionary genius.

  Exclusively inhabiting the tidal waters of the Great Barrier Reef, the epaulette shark is often seen by reef divers as it stows away in crevices. A small shark even by reef standards, most epaulettes only grow to around one metre in length and would be at the mercy of luck if confronted by the larger blacktip reef and silvertip sharks which prowl its coral-coated home.

  However, whilst it might be a cowering creature whilst the water is deep and dangerous, when the tide is out and the reef reduced to a mere collection of rock pools, this shark transforms into the indisputable overlord of the environment - a merciless, unpredictable hunter.

  Feeding mostly on crabs and small fish, the epaulette is perfectly suited to life among the rock pools. Its small and cartilaginous body allows it to work its way into the smallest of caves and under the lowest of overhangs in search of prey.

  Whilst its prey are unable to escape the pools in which they are enclosed, the shark itself has the abnormal ability to leave the water and move across dry land, using its small, sturdy fins as legs. Most fish die relatively quickly after emerging from their subaqueous empire, but the epaulette shark, on the other hand - or fin, as the case may be - is able to survive without oxygen for sixty hours longer than a human being by shutting down its internal organs. This queer capability gives the epaulette shark a vital advantage as a hunter, especially considering it has so little time to find a meal before the waters flood back in and it must once again return to its life of concealment from its predacious cousins.

  Commonly seen in aquariums, epaulette sharks are not dangerous to humans. Even when handled they are generally passive, although they have been known to ocationally bite provocateurs - a behaviour that can only be considered natural.

One of the epaulette shark's key
defences is its camouflage.

Despite its unimposing nature, the epaulette shark is an
accomplished hunter.

Because its body is soft, the epaulette
shark can easily squeeze through small
gaps.

Apologies

All,

I must apologise for my lack of activity on this blog over the past months. I won't elaborate as to my reasons for this as they were many, however, I promise you that more posts will be coming your way over the coming weeks.

Keep reading and keep learning about sharks.

Daniel Bailey

What We Can Do To Save Sharks?

  Everyone who has read this blog knows that sharks are critically endangered. In a previous post, I outlined the reasons why sharks are still endangered. Now, I will show you what you can do to help.

  One of the most fundamental threats to not only sharks but to all marine life is human waste. If you are on a beach and you see litter blustering around in the wind, just pick it up and put it in a bin. For all you know at the time, the plastic bag you just stopped from going into the sea would have killed an endangered shark. This doesn't mean that you have to plod around the beach all day collecting flotsam and jetsam - in fact, you don't have to do anything at all, it's completely your choice to help - it just means that, if you see rubbish lying on the beach, picking it up and binning it will always help.

For some people it's a bottle on a beach. For a shark, it's a
potentially fatal choking hazard.

  There are always people who want to try and help sharks. SharkTrustUK and SHARKDEFENSE in America are both excellent groups of people dedicated to saving sharks and, thus, the lives of humans as we grow to understand more about them. By joining a society such as these, or even donating a small amount of money - again, it's your choice - you can help them to learn more about sharks and you can help them prevent the killing of sharks around the world. Sometimes, a site like one of these will form a petition to protect a certain area of the ocean or to make a certain species protected. Free to sign, a petition like this can make all the difference if there are enough names on it.

  Of course, some people see thins on a far grander scale. In this case, Bojan Slat.

  Whilst diving in Greece, aged 16, he was disgusted to find more rubbish than marine life and even more so when he discovered the multitudes of dead fish trapped in plastic bags and bottles. He was furious that people simply through their litter into the sea without a care for the damage it could do. Therefore, he decided to delve into the science of plastic, learning about how it could be recycled or destroyed. He developed a plan to entirely remove the Pacific Garbage Patch from the Earth which, considering the area is twice the size of Texas, would be a great step in the direction of a better Ocean. With a team of 100 scientists behind him, he experimented on how he could do this and, in June 2014, he finally discovered a "likely technologically feasible and financially viable" solution which he and his team hope to put into effect soon.

  Even though his idea may not directly revolve around the saving of sharks, pollution and waste in seas and oceans is one of the primary causes of mass death for sharks. Not only that, but the unbelievable positive affect this will have on the wellbeing of the marine world and its inhabitants will most definitely be a great step on the way to saving sharks from extinction.

Boyan Slat, 19, plans to clean up the
Pacific Garbage Patch.

  As has been said many times before on this blog, we are dancing on the cusp of a world without sharks. If everyone on this planet were to help out in saving sharks, we needn't worry for their existence. But yet the fishing and the finning continue and those of us who love sharks and the marine world must work ever harder to prevent the death of one of the planet's most fascinating and secretive species.

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Thank you to everyone who has helped to bring SHARK NEWS  an astounding 5,000 all time views!

With the blog's second birthday party just over, this was the best way to celebrate. Thank you to everyone for a terrific two years of shark facts. There will certainly be many more to come.

The Carribean Reef Shark

  The Carribean reef shark is found, unsurprisingly, throughout the Carribean and also along the Western coastlines of Mexico and Brazil, where the can find a plentiful supply of rays and fish to feed on. A Carribean reef shark can grow up to three metres long and are stocky, powerful fish, alike to many other reef sharks.

  These sharks are territorial, although not so much as their fellow reef dwellers, the silvertip sharks. However, they will constantly patrol an area of a reef, defying another shark or large sea creature to come too close to it.

  Although they are generally indifferent to the divers and snorkelers who visit their reef homes, these sharks have a tendency to be easily aggravated. There are a series of telltale signs that a carribean reef shark is feeling threatened by a diver.

  Firstly, it will begin to arch its back. It will repeatedly do this for several seconds before the diver either goes away or stays, making it progress to the second stage of aggressive behaviour.

  If the diver does not retreat to a further distance, the shark will begin to thrash its tail excessively. As to when you judge excessive thrashing, it will invariably occur after the arching of the back.

  Next, the shark will open its mouth to show its teeth. Evidently, this is a sign that tells any diver to leave the area. This action is typical of most large sharks when they feel threatened or anxious.

  At this point, it is imperative that, as a diver, you have moved away, as the next step is for the shark to swim rapidly in the aggressor's direction. Some will pull away at the last minute and repeat this, although others may make contact with the diver - usually their tail will make the contact - and there have been several instances of such contact resulting in concussion.

  The majority of Carribean reef shark encounters occur in coastal waters, due to the fact that only very few venture into the open ocean. As relatively small sharks, such an action could be suicidal should they encounter a great white, tiger or bull shark - all of which can be found in such areas.

  As is typical with reef dwelling sharks, Carribean reef sharks hunt at night, sometimes in small groups. They feed mainly on rays, of which there are many species that live on reefs, and large fish. Groupers are notably one of the favourite foods of this species, although the saying "the hunters are the hunted" is applicable in such a case, as many groupers grow to such awe-inspiring size that they are able to swallow a shark whole.

A carribean reef shark patrolling its territory on a reef.

The range of the Carribean reef shark.

How Can We Save Sharks?

  When people talk of the sea, they will speculate over what creature is most dangerous within it. Killer whales? Chevron barracuda? Belcher sea snakes? Even tuna and dolphins are dangerous in their own right.

  Time and time again, the answer ends at "shark", or more specifically, "the great white shark". This overwhelmingly common misconception has driven people to fear of such fascinating creatures. How is it possible for those who are dedicated to sharks to alter the majorities' perception of these glorious animals as the scourge of the sea?

  But this is far from the most absurd aspect of the perception. What is is the following: people know that sharks are not the cold blooded killers they have many times been portrayed as. People know that they are more likely to be struck by lightning than be attacked by a shark. And yet, many still refuse to alter their misguided perceptions. The abhorrent description of sharks in the aforementioned manner has struck them to the bone with sheer terror.

  The far spread knowledge of sharks is often rejected by those who do not want to listen; by those too scared and too foolish to change before it is too late, and the sharks have left our oceans, have been eradicated from our seas.

  Why is it that people can not change?

  This mountain is one the human race must overcome together; this mountain is one the human race have to climb. The time for evading the situation, the time for walking around the mountain instead of scaling it, is over. Together, we must face up to the problem and defeat it before the worst comes.
  It is not unimaginable that some of those who read this will be confused as to how people can "evade" the situation. The following quotation is from Aaron MacNeil of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, interviewed by the BBC on the subject of Hákarl, an Arctic delicacy made of Greenland shark.

"It probably won't catch on enough to threaten the species."

  In the case of Hákarl, this is likely to be true, as this food is considered by many as the most disgusting nourishment on the planet. However, such statements are made, and have been made, many a time by those who underestimate the danger sharks face this very day. This is the meaning of "evasion". The failure to accept that the human race was wrong and still is. Not only that, but it is the failure to make action towards helping this necessary cause, and the failure to want to as well.

  All said, it is true that many people and governments are slowly making amends to humanities errors: Barrack Obama, President of the United States of America recently ordered the protection of 490,000 square miles of ocean between Hawaii and American Samoa. This protects the vast area from fishing and extraction of sea minerals. Due to its location, this marine reserve, originally pioneered by President George Bush in 2009, will protect hundred of thousands, if not millions of sharks, spanning multitudes of species.

  This admirable memorandum is a step along the path to save sharks. A small step, it is true, on a long path which will force its walkers to climb a great many mountains, but then, the late Neil Armstrong's motivational words as he became the first human ever to step on the moon:

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

  It was but a small step. But it triggered dozens more successful moon landings and has inspired people to this day. The one small step made by Barrack Obama could also trigger inspiration of such a fashion, and if it does, a bright, glistening future for sharks could be well within humanity's reach.

  If every person in the world could make an effort, no matter how small, human kind could soon fix what it has broken over centuries of abusing the oceans and, moreover, the sharks within them.

SHARKFEST 2014

  Happy birthday SHARK NEWS!! The SHARKFEST 2014 celebrations are underway and every day there will be new posts on the SHARKFEST Celebrations page. Scroll to the bottom of the page to join in with the celebrations!!

The Bronze Whaler Shark

  The bronze whaler shark is found throughout the Mediterranean Sea and also around Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Often going by the name of copper sharks or narrowtooth sharks, bronze whalers can grow up to three metres long. There have been many attempts to enclose bronze whalers in aquariums for public viewing. However, specimens of the genus do not adapt well to captivity and have been known to swim repetitively into the glass walls of their tank, damaging both the glass and themselves. It is also common for them to develop fatal infections from other creatures enclosed alongside them.
  Unlike many sharks, bronze whalers commonly form schools of up to and even above a hundred specimens. It is suspected that the reason for their doing so is that they are often preyed upon by larger sharks such as great white, tiger and bull sharks.

The range of the bronze whaler shark. In dark blue
is the confirmed range, in light blue, the suspected
range.

  Bronze whalers generally feed on fish such as tuna and also prey upon octopi and squid, as the majority of requiem sharks do. In addition, they have been known to consume stingrays and dogfish. Bronze whalers are often observed participating in the Sardine Run around South Africa.
  It is unknown how threatened bronze whaler sharks are by fishing, although they are a popular target of illegal finners. Several conservation projects are now underway in order to protect bronze whalers and other threatened species, despite the fact that bronze whaler numbers are uncertain.
  Attacks on humans by bronze whaler sharks are surprisingly more common than other sharks, although still infrequent. It is, perhaps, to be expected as divers commonly observe these sharks in coastal waters worldwide. In addition, those who dare to observe the Sardine Run from close quarters are often bitten accidentally if a feeding frenzy starts. However, some believe that bronze whalers are also the perpetrators of numerous unprovoked attacks and it is possible that they could soon be amongst the top ten most dangerous sharks to humans, based on recent averages. One explanation for this could be that people have mistaken them for other sharks, as they look very alike several other large species. It is also thought that there may have been several unconfirmed attacks following shipwrecks and aeroplane crashes in the ocean where survivors have been forced to remain in the water for indefinite periods.

A bronze whaler shark swimming nearby a school of
mackerel.

The Cookiecutter Shark

  The cookiecutter shark is a small shark which inhabits deep waters. It can grow up to fifty centimetres in length and spends the day at depths of up to 3,570 metres below the surface. They rise to the surface at night, where they hunt their prey. It is rather hard to imagine what prey a minuscule shark such as this could hope to catch at the surface of the open ocean. Most Sunlight zone creatures are larger animals than those of the Twilight and Trench zones. The few small fish species there are do not often stray into the open ocean. However, the cookiecutter shark has developed a hunting technique so sophisticated, it is hard to believe it is true.
  The cookiecutter shark has an unusually rounded jaw for a shark. The reason for this is its hunting technique. Using its bioluminescent body, the cookiecutter shark attracts other sea creatures to it. These creatures are, more often than not, dolphins, sailfish and whales. As the animal passes by, the diminutive shark uses its jaw to latch on. it then swims in a circle until it tears away a cookie-sized piece of its victims tissue. Hence the name, cookiecutter.
  Due to the fact they only come into humanly accessible waters at night, cookiecutters are rarely encountered by people. However, using cameras, they have been monitored by biologists, which is how we first learnt of their feeding method. Cookiecutter attacks on people are extremely uncommon, both for the reason above and the fact that humans have less blubber than dolphins and other creatures they prey on.
 

A cookiecutter shark examining a diver's camera.

The range of the cookiecutter shark.

The unusually rounded jaw of a cookiecutter shark.

A cookiecutter shark bite on a yellowfin tuna.

Leopard Shark Lunch, Blue Shark Buffet

  Recently, a Cape fur seal was caught on camera as it enjoyed a lunch of leopard shark. Although not aggressive, leopard sharks are still strong and will defend themselves against attackers with ferocity. Yet this cape fur seal managed to make a meal of the reef inhabiting shark.
  This is not the first instance of a cape fur seal making a meal of a shark. In fact, on the 29th of January 2013, one such seal tucked into a blue shark buffet, gulping down five of the worlds second fastest shark in front of several shocked divers.
  Each of the sharks was roughly 1.5 metres long.

Leopard Shark Lunch Link

Blue Shark Buffet Pictures

If you thought that sharks were, in the oceans and seas at least, top of the food chain, think again.

The Bluntnose Sixgill Shark

  One of the few remaining prehistoric sharks, the bluntnose sixgill shark is distinguishable from modern sharks by that which gives it it's name: the fact it has six gill slits. Another differentiating feature of the sixgill is the fact that it has no dorsal fin. The only fin on its back is its second dorsal fin, which is far smaller than the dorsal fin on other sharks and lies directly above the anal fin. These sharks spend the majority of their time roughly 2000 metres beneath the surface and are commonly found in near-coastal waters around Britain, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Malaysia, Western North America, parts of China, Japan and Australia as well as throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
  This shark grows up to 5 metres long, although it is generally only female specimens that reach such lengths, with males usually stopping their growth at 3.5 metres. Specimens mostly live for around eighty years.
  The diet of the bluntnose sixgill shark consists primarily of flounder and crustaceans, although they have been known to scavenge a meal from an abandoned whale or sea lion carcass. Although large, the sixgill is not a major threat to divers.
  Fossils of similar sharks to the bluntnose sixgill date back to the Triassic Period, with the shark itself thought to have evolved into today's specimen before the extinction of the dinosaurs.

A bluntnose sixgill shark scavenging
for food at night. Note the lack of a
dorsal fin. 

The Bonnethead Shark

  The bonnethead shark is a subspecies from the hammerhead shark family. It is most commonly found around the Florida Quays, the Gulf of Mexico, New England, Southern California and Ecuador.
  The bonnethead is a popular shark amongst anglers. The reason for this is that they breed quickly and are not likely to become endangered or protected and so to stop their abhorrent sport. Not only this, but they are small and easier to catch than their larger hammerhead compatriots.
  In only one way is the bonnethead shark problematic for anglers. When caught by the tail, as they often are, the bonnethead will use its extreme flexibility to swing round and try to bite the angler who so rudely reeled it in.
  Growing up to 1.50 metres long, the bonnethead is ideal prey for large seabirds, which can sometimes be seen snatching up one of these helpless sharks from the water. However, their diminutive size is beneficial when their turn comes to hunt. With help from the electroreception provided by the denticles on its cephalofoil, which help it sense it's prey, the bonnethead is perfectly equipped to hunt the crustaceans, molluscs, shrimps and small fish which share its habitat. It can pick up the movement of a crab or other small creature and then, even if it is tucked away in a cramp cave which would have been the end of a possible meal for its fellow hammerheads, the bonnethead will remain unperturbed and will use its size to its advantage: sticking its rather smaller head into the cavern and emerging with a meal.
  Although timid and not dangerous to humans, bonnethead sharks have been known to bite anglers when reeled onto a boat. Bonnetheads are often seen in aquariums, where their cephalofoil can represent the most famous feature of all sharks from the hammerhead family to enthralled onlookers, from a safe distance.

A bonnethead shark in an aquarium. Note the shape of the
cephalofoil.

Record Migration for a Great White Shark (continued)

Finally, after many months hard effort, Lydia the great white shark has crossed the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is the border between the East and West Atlantic, making her the first ever trans atlantic swimming great white shark!!
  When a scientific research boat hauled her on board for a medical checkup recently, they pronounced her healthy and, what's more, pregnant. Soon, a new great white could be stepping up to face the challenge that its mother was the first to complete. Chris Fischer, one of the scientists who has been monitoring Lydia stated that she was mostly likely heading for the supposed great white birthing grounds in the Mediterranean Sea, which, if that became her destination, make her the longest migrating great white shark in history. Mr. Fischer also added that "If you forced me to guess where that (the birthing grounds) was, I'd say it was over in the Mediterranean, near Turkey... but that's longball I'm playing. She could turn around right now and head back to Florida."
  Congratulations to Lydia, the first ever trans-atlantic swimming shark.

Lydia the great white shark during her medical checkup.

Record Migration for a Great White Shark?

  A great white shark, affectionally named Lydia, was tagged off Florida in March 2013. She was 4.4 metres long. Until now, no great white shark had ever been recorded to have swum across the Atlantic, but Lydia is currently swimming near to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, an underwater mountain range which marks the border between the East and West Atlantic. 
  She is 1, 000 miles from Cornwall, England and an amazing 3, 000 miles from where she was first tagged in Jacksonville, Florida. Since being tagged, she has travelled a breath-taking 19, 000 miles.
  The longest ever migration of a great white was when the shark Nicole swum from South Africa to Australia over a nine month span from November 2003 to August 2004, covering 12, 400 miles.
  Lydia could be well on her way to breaking that record. Any day now, news could come of success.
  Dr Gregory Skomal, senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries, stated that "We have no idea how far she will go, but Europe, the Med, and the coast of Africa are all feasible."
  Good luck to Lydia, who could possibly become the first great white shark to make a trans-Atlantic crossing.

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