Sharks Can Be Social…Sometimes

Photo credit: BBC News

When you think of sharks, it’s hard to imagine they get together every Tuesday night for book club. But BBC News Science Reporter Jonathan Webb reports these renowned predators may be more social than we realize.

There are several different species of sharks with unique personalities, which determine whether they’re socialites or loners.

A new study by scientists in the UK found that different sharks would either form groups when paired with other sharks, or look to camouflage on their own.

The sharks were studied in groups of ten. Each environment that they tested resulted in consistent behavior patterns.

Behavioral ecologist Dr. David Jacoby told BBC News, “The results were driven by different social preferences, that appeared to reflect different strategies for staying safe. Well-connected individuals formed conspicuous groups, while less social individuals tended to camouflage alone, matching their skin color with the color of the gravel in the bottom of the tank.”

Even though the study was focused on catsharks, researchers expect these findings to apply to other shark species in the wild.

They also believe the same behavioral patterns are present with other animals, including humans, but this is the first time it was tested with sharks.

So what’s next? These researchers are hoping to mimic the study with lemon sharks to see how their behavior compares to the catsharks.

This research was conducted at the Marine Biological Association of the UK with help from the University of Exeter. You can read more about the findings in the Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology journal.