Join the Shark Trust for an online session about the current state of shark conservation, the key facts and figures and how we can engage visitors in concrete action for sharks.

Sharks have a range of adaptations that make them perfectly suited to their environment. It's no wonder they've gained a reputation for being some of the most impressive and formidable predators on the planet! Tens of millions of sharks are killed each year and many populations continue to decline at an alarming rate. Adopt a Great White Shark today and you'll be supporting vital Great White Shark research in the USA. This project by Sharklab-Malta is one that can be adopted and adapted for oviparous elasmobranch species worldwide. For example, I have successfully replicated this with S. canicula landed in the North Sea. It is without a doubt valuable for future conservation efforts. ReferencesThese types of tags are placed at the base of a shark’s fin to record information about the ocean environment (such as temperature, pressure, salinity, and light levels) and location of the shark. The tag is programmed to pop off the shark after a specified amount of time, float to the surface, and transmit the information to the satellite. Specialized Tags All sharks utilise internal fertilisation, but depending on how long females retain the fertilised eggs, sharks can be divided into two main groups: oviparous (egg-laying) and viviparous (live-bearing). Viviparous species can be further divided into aplacental (yolk-dependent) and placental forms. Some aplacental species such as the sandtiger shark ( Carcharias taurus) also utilise embryophagy, whereby the largest embryo will consume the other developing embryos. It’s also worth noting the other amazing strategies sharks are capable of. Certain species, including the bonnethead shark ( Sphyrna tiburo), can even undergo automictic parthenogenesis, otherwise known as virgin birth, during which an unfertilised egg merges with another cell from the female to form a foetus. Sharks invest a lot of energy into producing a few, well-developed young. There are 3 main methods of reproduction: oviparity (egg-laying), ovoviviparity and vivparity (live birth). Magnetoreception: The Ampullae of Lorenzini are like little semiconductors connected to snout pores that help to give sharks the ability to detect and orient to the Earth’s magnetic field. A Tail of Two Sharks Viviparity is the most advanced method of reproduction. The baby shark develops inside their mother’s body, receiving nutrients and oxygen through an umbilical cord. This is the same method used by mammals. But, unlike mammals, when the pups are born they're immediately independent and have to fend for themselves.

The protective capsule acts as a life-support machine, containing everything that's needed. The embryo absorbs nutrients from a yolk-sac before hatching. And emerges as a miniature version of the adult. Many shark species have brains as complex as mammals, which enables them to process a wide range of senses. Sharks have the same 5 senses as we do plus a couple more... Greg’s preliminary work in 2012 soon expanded with the recruitment of Lydia Koehler as science officer, Pamela Mason as education coordinator and Dave Mason as membership coordinator. All three, plus numerous volunteers, were (and still are) involved in eggcase recovery and retrieval from the fish market. This, combined with the aquaria maintenance and shark husbandry information I supplied, all coincided with the opening of the Malta National Aquarium in October 2013.But how is any of this possible? Well, it’s largely due to the specific species chosen for this approach. Sharks invest a lot of energy into producing a few, well-developed young. Who have a good chance of survival. Instead of laying her eggs, the female will carry them inside her body. Providing extra safety from potential predators. The embryos develop within an eggcase that has a thin membrane. Once developed the baby shark will hatch inside her mother, who'll then give birth to the young. In some species the pups aren't born immediately after hatching. Instead they stay in the uterus where they'll feed off unfertilised eggs. This is known as oophagy.

In the 1950s, "Shark Lady” and ocean science pioneer, Dr. Eugenie Clark, discovered that sharks can recognize colors, shapes, learn to perform behaviors. By teaching lemon sharks that pressing an underwater target would earn food rewards, Clark demonstrated that sharks can be trained. As our paper points out, despite the fact that the number of sharks released has a negligible influence on the stability of the overall wild populations of S. canicula and S. stellaris, it positively impacts shark conservation efforts by attracting public attention and fosters cooperation with relevant stakeholders, including aquariums, dive centres and schools.To improve their pups’ chance of survival, some sharks give birth, or lay their eggs, in nursery areas. Here the water is usually warm and shallow. There's a good food supply and few predators. Once pups have reached a good size they leave the safety of the nursery and enter the big wide world. Koehler, L., Smith, L.E., Nowell, G., 2018. Recovered and Released – A novel approach to oviparous shark conservation. Ocean and Coastal Management. 154. 178-185.