Scientists and veterinarians working for the New York Aquarium have discovered something truly amazing near the shore waters of Long Island’s Great South Bay: a nursery ground for the sand tiger shark, according to a press release from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Don’t panic, though—the sand tiger shark is a non-aggressive fish!
The discovery was made by researchers who have been collecting data on sharks in local waters over the past four years. This data helped the scientists confirm the existence of the nursery in Great South Bay, which they first suspected back in 2011. Only a handful of sand tiger shark nursery grounds have been identified, including in the waters of Massachusetts.
“The discovery of a shark nursery is fantastic news for local conservationists seeking to learn more about sharks and other species in the New York Bight,” said Jon Dohlin, vice president and director of WCS’s New York Aquarium. “Through field projects and outreach efforts by the New York Aquarium and other organizations, we hope to raise awareness about our local marine environment and the need to manage our natural wonders.”
Data gathered from the sharks’ movements are helping scientists learn more about the migratory behavior of these sharks and their habitat needs. The discovery of the Great South Bay shark nursery is especially important because that breed of shark has been heavily depleted by fishing and is listed as a “Species of Concern” by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. In fact, fishing for sand tiger sharks has been prohibited in state and federal waters since 1997.
“The acoustically tagged animals in our study will help us better understand where the sharks go, their habitat needs, and how we can better protect them,” said Dr. Merry Camhi, director of the NY Seascape program, WCS’s local marine conservation program.
Sharks will also be the focus of Ocean Wonders: Sharks!, a 57,000-square-foot exhibit building currently under construction at the New York Aquarium. The building will house more than 115 marine species, including sharks, skates and rays. It is scheduled to open this year.
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Main photo by Julie Larsen Maher.Courtesy of WCS.
