By Chuck Saltsman, Senior Producer, Interpretive Media at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photos ©Monterey Bay Aquarium, photographed by Tyson Rininger
Ten yards in front of me, a 14-foot great white shark churns the water into a pink foam as it chews basketball-size chunks of elephant seal from a fresh kill. The sheer violence of the attack is breathtaking. The tail thrashes the ocean for purchase, levering the head back and forth in a whipsaw motion. The serrated teeth carve out another 20 pounds of seal meat. It’s two in the afternoon and I’m having a great day at the office, better than most. Better than that seal to be sure. I’m here filming the research the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Hopkins MarineThe objective is to learn more about the size of the white shark population in Northern California and its condition. A recent estimate put the number of white sharks in the area at less than 250. “The goal is to really understand how many there are, and whether that population is rising or falling,” says Randy Kochevar, Science Communications Officer at Hopkins Marine Station.”We have spectacular apex predators right here off our shores. But with such a small number, it doesn’t take a large perturbation in the environment to have a significant impact.”
Life Aboard the “Dinner Plate”
Yesterday was a complete bust, and today has been slow. Sal and Scot dictate a research paper to each other and I watch the ocean, trying to stay balanced on the rocking skiff. My attention is focused about 30 feet out on the water where a grey piece of carpet resembling a seal silhouette floats. Today’s faux seal is named “Scampi”, maybe in hopes that a tasty name will prove inspirational. The idea is that a great white will see it floating on the surface, mistake it for a real seal and strike. If that happens the shark is lured back to the boat and into tagging range without ever letting it bite the decoy. If it bites the decoy, the game is over since the shark will know it’s been duped.Every few minutes what I’ve come to think of as “the shark detector” beeps a number at us. It’s detecting the electronic tags that we’ve attached to them. Every tagged shark transmits a different number. And there are plenty of sharks without tags as well. We are literally afloat in shark-infested waters. Great white sharks migrate around and at this time of year, our scientists estimate there might be up to a hundred sharks within a few miles of us. Which ought to be worrisome while drifting around in a tiny boat referred to as “The Dinner Plate” but that’s not what worries me. What worries me is screwing up at the critical moment.
With no warning, a huge dorsal fin and tail fin roll over on the decoy and it’s a scramble on the skiff since we are surprised by the sudden activity. Scot starts furiously reeling in the decoy, Sal makes ready with the tag and I try and keep track of it all while framing up shots. The shark dives under the boat. It is huge, with a head the size of a beer keg. We lose sight of it for moment, then it surfaces at the rear. Sal lunges with the tag, the shark thrashes the water with a three-foot tail and it’s gone. High fives all around. It would be the only shark we tag on this mission, but still a success.Natural Predation
Scot yells something about a predation. I ask what’s going on. He says, “Put the camera away, I just saw a natural predation and we’re heading over there.” Natural predation? Ah, a shark attacked a seal. I stuff the camera back in the bag and Scot jams the throttle forward toward whitewater and circling gulls. As we approach, I grab the camera and Scott directs me to line it up with the largest piece of floating seal. I hit the record button and listen to Scot count down 3-2-1.
He’s been at this long enough to know that the shark is circling under the elephant seal, rising toward it. Action! The camera is steady and rolling as the shark lunges out of the water with the seal in its mouth.I’m lucky to be here to see it and to share it with others.
This intrepid loggerhead turtle hatchling and two equally valiant aquarists are flying across the country today! The hatchling was rescued as part of the North Carolina Aquariums’ Sea Turtle Program, and is heading to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a year of care until it’s big enough to be released back into the ocean.
We’ve been fostering rescued baby loggerhead turtles since 2013. Here are some turtle travel tips we follow to keep these little reptiles healthy and comfy in the skies:
1. Stay hydrated
Ocean critters like to stay hydrated! So how do we take a turtle on a plane? Before setting out, aquarists apply a water-based jelly to its shell and body. The jelly keeps the turtle hydrated throughout the journey and dissolves harmlessly into the water when the turtle arrives at the Aquarium.
2. Prepare for temperature changes
Our well-ventilated turtle travel case includes a heating pad to keep the turtle at a comfortable 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Aquarists bring along an extra heating device in case the first one has any technical problems. If the cabin gets too warm for a turtle’s liking, they’ll move the case to a cooler spot on the floor.
4. Keep in touch
Once the turtles are ready for release, each gets its very own satellite tracker to help us keep tabs on it out in the big blue! Turtle tagging also allows researchers to study turtle travel patterns and learn more about them.
We’re saddened to announce that the young great white shark we released on October 25 off the coast of southern California has died. This is a very difficult day for all of us at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and for everyone who saw and cared about this animal.
Based on the shark’s behavior and overall condition prior to release, our white shark team had every confidence that he would do well back in the wild – as was the case with five other young great whites released from the aquarium.
Unfortunately, according to data from the tracking tag he carried, the shark died shortly after he was released.
“Our Husbandry team is unrivaled in its knowledge of young great white sharks, and I’m so proud of the passion and dedication they demonstrate each day,” said aquarium Managing Director Jim Hekkers. “This is a difficult time for all of us –- and especially for the team members who devoted so much attention and care to an animal that had such a powerful impact on the attitudes of our visitors toward conservation of ocean wildlife.”
While this is a setback, in the weeks to come, our white shark team will review its procedures and protocols to see if there are any changes we should consider so we can continue to do what we do best: give our animals exceptional care and, through our living exhibits, inspire visitors from around the world to care about –- and care for -– ocean wildlife.
Right now, while we are shocked and saddened by this loss of this shark, we remain fully committed to our white shark work.
Five other great white sharks have been successfully returned to the wild after spending periods between 11 days and six-and-a-half months at the aquarium. One other animal –- a small shark that fed only once during its 11 days on exhibit –- was also transported south to Goleta for release. Four other sharks were released in Monterey Bay.
Tracking data from all five sharks confirmed they survived their release, though one of the sharks died four months later in a fisherman’s net in Baja California.
Exhibit of young great white sharks is one element of Project White Shark, our work with research colleagues to learn more about white sharks in the wild as well as to inspire visitors to become advocates for shark conservation by bringing them face to face with sharks on exhibit.
Since 2002, we’ve tagged and tracked 47 juvenile great white sharks off southern California. Earlier this year, we were the lead sponsor of legislation enacted in California that outlaws the shark fin trade –- a major factor in the global decline of shark populations.
In the past decade, we’ve allocated nearly $2 million toward studies of adult and juvenile great white sharks in the wild –- research aimed at better understanding and protecting white shark populations.
Urgent Action Alert - Shark Fin Trade Ban in Danger!
There’s been huge progress lately in the global campaign to end the shark fin trade. Now the National Marine Fisheries Service is threatening to reverse some of the most important gains.
You can take action by July 31 – and make a difference.
Eight states have enacted laws that ban the shark fin trade. Monterey Bay Aquarium was proud to sponsor the California law that took final effect on July 1. New York became the latest to ban the trade in a bill signed last week.
All these state bans will be overturned if the fisheries service adopts a proposed rule declaring that the Federal government, not states, has sole authority to regulate shark fin imports.
This sends the wrong message to countries that still target tens of millions of sharks each year just for their fins.
Your voice matters. Speak out now.
You have two days to tell the National Marine Fisheries Service that you want sharks protected and the state bans on the fin trade to remain in effect.
It takes three simple steps.
1. Go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Comment” page and click the “Comment Now” link.
2. Copy the letter below and paste into the Comments box.
3. Enter your name and contact information in the spaces provided’ then click “Continue”. On the last page you’ll have a chance to review your information before clicking “Submit Comment”.
Don’t let shark fin trade bans in California and seven other states be overturned!
Draft Letter: Copy & paste to save the shark fin ban
Kim Marshall
Fishery Policy Analyst
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East- West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Re: Proposed rule to implement the Shark Conservation Act of 2010—NOAA-NMFS-2012-0092
Dear Ms. Marshall:
I am writing to comment on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) proposed rule to implement the Shark Conservation Act of 2010 (SCA). While I support NMFS’ effort to implement the SCA, I disagree with NMFS’ proposal to block states from implementing their own bans on the shark fin trade. This proposal would undermine efforts by U.S. states to protect sharks from the global trade in shark fins.
The Shark Conservation Act of 2010 addressed the landing and possession of shark fins caught in U.S. waters, but it did not directly address the trade in detached shark fins. Most processed shark fins sold in the U.S. are imported, and there is currently no global mechanism to trace shark fins from fisheries to markets. Thus, it is nearly impossible to determine whether a shark fin comes from a federally-managed legal fishery or was imported from an area with little or no regulation of shark-finning.
Over the past several years, several U.S. states, including California and New York, have enacted laws to address this gap in shark conservation by prohibiting the trade in fins. These laws are an important part of the global movement to reduce demand for shark fins, end the shark fin trade, and to protect sharks around the world.
NMFS’ proposal to block these bans would take away this tool and send the wrong message to countries that continue to target sharks for their fins.
If the U.S. is going to fully address the shark fin trade and continue to lead the world in shark conservation, we must allow states to regulate shark fins. Please preserve states’ rights to protect sharks by withdrawing all language in the proposed rule that would prevent states from banning the trade in shark fins. Thank you for considering my comments on this important matter.
We’re thrilled to be the first public aquarium in the world to culture and raise these delightful drifters. While these animals are incredibly fragile and difficult to see, they’re abundant and can be found throughout the ocean!
Siphonophores are colonies of tiny animals called “zooids”, and they play an important role in the oceanic food webs.
Thank you to our colleagues at @mbari-blog for the common siphonophore footage! Check out their website to learn more about these magnificent mysteries!