Rare images captured by a camera strapped to a man’s back endangered shark show the shocking moment it was hit by a boat, prompting the animal to quickly swim into deep water and rest for hours.
It is unclear whether the enormous 7-meter animal, known as basking sharksurvived the collision.
But the incident indicates that such encounters may be all too common for ocean-dwelling species, according to the researchers.
The video — which may be one of the first of its kind ever recorded — highlights the need to better protect these sharks as well as better understand them, according to Alexandra McInturf, a research associate at Oregon State University who co-authored a study on the incident. The findings appear in an article published on Wednesday (24) in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
“We are calling for a legally enforceable code of conduct in this area, with speed regulations in particular,” said McInturf, referring to the waters around the Blasket Islands off the coast of Ireland, where the basking shark incident occurred and a of the few places in the world where animals are known to congregate. “What I’m most hoping to come out of this is just more research on this species.”
Large and in danger of extinction
The basking shark is a relatively gentle species, known for scanning the ocean surface for small planktonic crustaceans with its gaping jaws – and feeding in a manner similar to the behaviors of its relatives, the whale shark and the giant mouth shark. big.
The basking shark is a huge creature, growing up to 12 meters in length, and is among the largest fish in the world – second only to the whale shark.
Basking sharks are also in danger of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that there are around 20,000 left in the world.
In an effort to collect more data on the creatures’ foraging and feeding habits, McInturf and his research partners tagged and attached cameras to about 20 basking sharks.
Then, on April 24, one of the cameras captured the unexpected: footage of a basking shark feeding near the surface before taking a sudden, blunt strike against the hull of a boat. See the video below.
The images also show the aftermath of the encounter, including a large scratch across the shark’s back near its dorsal fin, and some blue antifouling paint – a type of coating used on the underside of boats to prevent barnacles from accumulating – which stained the animal’s mottled skin.
Marine traffic and endangered species
Researchers have long known that boats and other marine traffic can pose a threat to sea creatures.
While the problem is relatively well documented for whales, there is less data indicating the severity of the problem for sharks.
But the video and study findings that emerged from the incident are timely for the shark research community, noted Christopher Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach. In his work studying sharks of all types near Southern California, he said about 1 in 10 he encounters shows signs of a dangerous encounter with a vessel.
Basking sharks, which are more susceptible to collisions with boats due to their habit of feeding at the surface, are often seen with ink or scars on their fins or backs — likely marks of encounters with boat propellers and ship hulls, McInturf said.
While it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether the markings are the result of accidents or if the sharks are just rubbing up against parked vehicles, the researchers’ video provides clear evidence: This basking shark had a sudden and unexpected collision with a moving boat .
The images also show the shark quickly escaping into the depths of the ocean. The animal remained there, barely moving, until the camera stopped recording about 7 and a half hours later. The device, McInturf noted, which includes the camera and a fitness tracker-like instrument that records the shark’s movements, was designed to stop collecting data and detach from the shark so researchers could retrieve the data.
It’s nearly impossible to tell whether the shark survived after the tracking device stopped collecting data, McInturf added, although she points out that — even if the shark is alive — the injuries can leave lasting harmful effects.
Protecting sharks
McInturf emphasized that Ireland — and the United Kingdom — have already taken significant steps to help protect endangered basking sharks.
Coincidentally, the shark was also hit by a boat that was in waters that Ireland recently designated as a national marine park.
However, there are no applicable rules associated with the park yet. And that’s something McInturf hopes will change as more policymakers and mariners recognize the importance of establishing sustainable harmony between marine traffic and endangered wildlife.
But McInturf said he doesn’t intend to blame anyone.
“Something I think about a lot is the fact that these basking sharks are really hard to see when they’re not at the surface,” McInturf said, emphasizing that these incidents likely occur by accident. “I’m not trying to villainize the vessel.”
Lowe added that even where regulations exist, they can be difficult to enforce. But he sees value in getting the information out to boaters, hoping they will slow down and keep an eye out for sea creatures of their own accord.
After all, boats can also be severely damaged by an encounter with a shark.
“The first step, I think, is education — just educating the boaters,” Lowe said.
He added that while it’s encouraging to see some shark species begin to stabilize or recover from large population losses, he can’t help but wonder how much faster they would recover if boat strikes weren’t a threat.
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