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. References Tonic immobility is a reflex that causes a temporary state of inactivity in an animal. Similar to hypnosis. It occurs in a variety of different species, including many sharks and rays... 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.

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). 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. These types of tags are placed on a shark's fin. When the shark comes to the surface, the tag is exposed to air and a signal is sent to the satellite, providing information on the shark's location. Popoff Satellite Archival Tags Abdulla, A, 2004. Status and conservation of sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. IUCN Technical Paper 144 (7).Besides being fun to say, ovoviviparous sharks have eggs that hatch inside of the womb and the shark has a live birth. This might sound just like the viviparous pups above, but there is no placenta involved. Pups live on a yolk sac until they are ready to hatch. The first shark to hatch from its egg will then consume the other shark fetuses and their yolk sacs. Obviously, ovoviviparous give birth to small litters. 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... 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. In my opinion, this was one of the best, most direct and novel hands-on approaches to shark conservation I had come across. Not only did it result in a positive outcome from the result of direct action but the potential for public engagement for this type of project was huge.

Fin-mounted technology, such as accelerometers and cameras, are used to collect data about the movement of a shark’s body. They record video of a shark’s behavior and the ocean environment. Accelerometers use the same technology as cellphones to determine the pitch, roll, yaw, and speed of the animal as it swims. Fin-mounted cameras have helped researchers make discoveries about coral reefs , seagrass beds , and white shark feeding behavior . Spaghetti, Dart, or Roto Tags Sharks invest a lot of energy into producing a few, well-developed young. Who have a good chance of survival.But how is any of this possible? Well, it’s largely due to the specific species chosen for this approach. PRODUCE FEW YOUNG - varying from 2 pups for the Bigeye Thresher and up to 135 for the Blue Shark. Compare this to the reproduction potential of bony-fish who release millions of eggs. Some sharks have homocercal tails, where the upper and lower tail lobes are the same size, or symmetrical. A symmetrical tail can propel a shark through the water at high speeds. A great example of this tail is the shortfin mako whose latin name, Isurus oxyrinchus, means “same tail, pointy snout.” The shortfin mako can have swim bursts up to 90 miles per hour! Odds