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Much like many other marine animals, new research suggests that basking sharks also head south for the winter. The intriguing shark has long been a Scottish national mystery, and the exciting new research will shed some much need light on the eerie shark.
This particular species of shark is very difficult to study, but luckily researchers at the University of Exeter managed to tag about 70 basking sharks.
It was previously thought that the northeast Atlantic basking shark hung out off the coast of Ireland and Great Britain during the colder winter months. According to the satellite tags, 28 of which managed to transmit for over 5 months, a majority of the tagged basking sharks followed the sun south for the winter. The sharks “pinged” off the coast of Spain, Portugal, North Africa and France’s Bay of Biscay. However, it was noted that several of the basking sharks opted to stay put off the coast of Britain.
Philip Doherty, who is an environmental scientist from Exeter, commented in a recent press release, “Knowing where these animals are all year round allows us to understand the threats they face. This is essential information if we want to protect them, especially as they swim far outside U.K. water, meaning any conservation efforts must be international.”
“The primary drivers behind basking shark migrations are still unclear but they may include mating, searching for foraging grounds and finding water of preferred temperature,” Doherty mentioned in the report.
After the whale shark, the basking shark is the second largest fish in the world. Currently, the plankton-eater is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and in today’s world, the largest threat posed to basking sharks is commercial fishing and boat strikes.
Since the elusive shark species lives far from shore and deep below the ocean’s surface, researchers from Exeter hope to continue monitoring the satellite data. More knowledge can only help conserve such a unique species.