MY
INTENTIONS FOR THIS PAGE
Right now, this page only
has one article - an interesting one - but I intend to summarize several
studies presented in Klimley & Ainley's excellent collection of
research papers on the GW.Research on these amazing Apex predators continues.
My aim here is to provide you with more of an insight into these magnificent and misunderstood animals. Love them, Fear them, Hate them, these sharks provide a vital role in the eco system of the ocean.
It would be to our own long term detriment to eradicate them. Our oceans cover over 90% of our planet, yet we are having a huge impact on the species that live there!
MMMMM
. . . THAT'S
A TASTY
SURFBOARD!
An interesting study
conducted at the South Farallon Islands sought to find out whether a
shark is attracted visually to certain prey items based solely on their
shape. In this study, researchers attached several decoys to a fishing
line and placed them into the water. These items consisted of such
varied items as surfboards, a stuffed wetsuit, a standard plastic air
mattress of the variety you'd see at Walgreen's (or underneath Alex
Kintner in 'Jaws' . . . nice touch, I thought. It was even yellow!), and
most interestingly, a seal shaped decoy. These items were quite simple;
they did not produce any scent, give off an electric field, or produce
vibrations. This meant that the shark would only use vision to decide
whether to approach and attack.
|
|
|
A GW
investigates the air mattress. Although the perspective is
slightly distorted, the large fin indicates that it is a big fish! |
The results are interesting
if only because they are unexpected. Out of 85 responses, a tan
surfboard and the wetsuit (yikes!) had the highest percentage of attacks
to investigations. In each of the three instances that the GW
investigated the wetsuit, for example, it attacked. The tan surfboard
was investigated a staggering seven times and attacked 9 times . . . the
two extra being sharks who probably really expected a meal of tasty seal
instead of plastic and fiberboard! In comparison, the seal shaped mat
was investigated more than the wetsuit at 4 times but attacked less at 2
times. Also, another tan surfboard a little longer and more tapered only
was investigated 5 times and attacked once, possibly showing that color
didn't affect the results as much as shape did.
 |
| At
times, the attacks were quite ferocious, the GW literally throwing
itself out of the water! |
What does this mean? Not a
great deal, to be honest. But since attacks were witnessed - and
these attacks were sometimes spectacular with the shark moving fast
enough to propel its body out of the water - it does hint that the shark
can discriminate prey based on sight.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Need help with writing your project about sharks? Feel
free to hire
experts at research paper service AdvancedWriters.com.
Anderson, S.D.,
Henderson, R.P., Pyle, P., and Ainley, D.G. (1996) A description of
"white shark reactions to unbaited decoys." In "Great White
Sharks: the biology of Carcharodon carcharias" (A. P. Klimley and
D. G. Ainley, eds.), pp. 223-228
Strong, W.R., (1996) A
study of shape discrimination and visual predatory tactics in white
sharks. In "Great White
Sharks: the biology of Carcharodon carcharias" (A. P. Klimley and
D. G. Ainley, eds.), pp. 229-240
