can track tiger shark Quinty here: Tiger shark crosses thirteen http://saveoursharks.nl/en/events/sharktracking/ maritime boundaries in four weeks

A tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) tagged with a our Sharks” project shows that their ‘local’ tiger satellite transmitter by scientists and research- sharks are no exception, as Quinty travelled over ers from Saba, and the United 1200 kilometers within a month’s time, crossing States has migrated across thirteen maritime thirteen maritime boundaries. This reveals that na- boundaries, making its way from the Saba tional protection of these animals in the Bank to Trinidad. This 3.43m female tiger shark is not sufficient and that more regional-wide named ‘Quinty’ was tagged as part of the region protection is needed now more than ever. wide Nature Alliance “Save our Sharks” project with funding from the Dutch The journey National Postcode Lottery. Little is currently Quinty was tagged on the in October known about the status of shark populations 2016 and was immediately labeled as the most in Dutch Caribbean waters (Garla et al., 2006; active research animal of this study, sending out Chapman et al., 2007) and tagging studies are location data from the first day she was tagged. a pivotal first step in determining which sharks Equipped with a custom fitted satellite tag she are present, where they can be found and most has traveled over 1200 kilometers south within importantly how best to improve management one month, reaching at the and protection of these important apex preda- beginning of December 2016. In these waters she tors (Hammerschlag et al., 2008). stayed for 3 months, before recently heading back up north towards . This journey turns On board the “Caribbean Explorer II”, which set out to be quite dangerous for a shark, as only 3 of sail from St Maarten last October, scientists and these nations provide Quinty with the necessary conservationists from the Saba Conservation protection by having declared their waters as Foundation (SCF), Nature Foundation St. Maarten shark sanctuaries: The British , Saba (NFSXM), Florida International University (FIU) and St Maarten. This means that along her journey and Sharks4Kids, set out to gather information on so far, in ten different territorial waters in the shark abundance and diversity on the Saba Bank. Caribbean, Quinty could have been legally caught Over the course of the 6-day expedition the team and killed for her fins, meat, oil or cartilage. Over caught 22 sharks. 100 million sharks worldwide are killed for these same reasons each year (Worm et al., 2013). A lot of shark species are known to migrate vast distances in search for food, a mate or breeding Tiger sharks grounds (Wilson et al., 2001; Bonfil et al., 2005; Tiger Sharks are one of the largest sharks, with Papastamatiou et al., 2013). This recent study a bulky body, powerful jaws and teeth strong performed by local researchers from the “Save enough to open the shell of a sea turtle. They are The track shown in the image is from a 3.43 m tiger shark tagged on October 19, 2016.

BioNews 2 - Content ... 11 12 13 14 15 ... boat during expedition. the boat the worked up alongside being Quinty

You can track tiger shark Quinty here: http://saveoursharks.nl/en/events/sharktracking/

one of the oceans’ most powerful predators. fishermen to reduce catch and by-catch of sharks Their diet includes everything from jellyfish to and to establish a region-wide shark sighting net- stingrays and seals (Heithaus, 2000) and their work to learn more about where they live and how habit of snapping up human garbage has earned we can best protect them. However, this research them the unfortunate nickname “wastebaskets” shows that tiger sharks spend most of their time of the sea. in non-Dutch Caribbean waters and therefore a

Duncan Brake by: © Duncan Photo more Caribbean-wide protected area should be Sharks in the Dutch Caribbean established to help preserving this amazing shark Very little is currently known about the status of species. tiger shark populations in Dutch Caribbean waters. They are found all around the world in temperate Shark tracking and tropical waters and typically move into the A total of five tiger sharks received a custom fitted in the winter. Tiger sharks have satellite tracking device as a part of the “Save our been sighted so often on the Saba Bank that they Shark” study. Tiger Sharks spend quite a lot of have been adopted as the Saba Bank ‘mascot’. time at the surface (Heithaus et al., 2002), which Sadly, they are classified on the IUCN Red List allows satellite tracking devices to be used to as “Nearly Threatened”. Their fins are in high track their movements with pin point accuracy. demand in Asia for shark fin soup. This satellite Hopefully, Quinty and the other sharks will con- tagging study is a pivotal first step in determining tinue to transmit their location data so that there movement patterns of this shark species, and is will be a better understanding of tiger shark move- for this reason of major importance in decision ment patterns across the Caribbean. making on how to manage and protect these im- portant apex predators within and outside Dutch The tagging expedition was organized as part of Caribbean waters. the Dutch Postcode Lottery funded “Save our Sharks” project, which aims to change the way we In the Dutch Caribbean sharks are protected within think about sharks and to create safe havens for the “Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary” them by working with fishermen, local communi- and conservation groups are working with local ties and scientists.

Photo by: © Kai Wulf

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