In what can be called a rare phenomenon, some researchers have found that leopard seals feed on sharks in New Zealand waters. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It seems to be highly rare to find predators are feeding on other predators. If the researchers are to be believed, it is happening for the first time in the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/worlds-leggiest-creature-a-millipede-with-1306-legs-discovered-in-australia-437564" hreflang="en">World's leggiest creature, a millipede with 1,306 legs, discovered in Australia</a>

Leopard seals seem to have become a small club of marine predators, which do it. &nbsp;

Led by Krista van der Linde of leopardseals.org, the study has found remains of the sharks in the droppings of leopard seals. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The researchers also witnessed several signs of struggle with sharks on bodies of the seals. It shows the marine mammals prey on sharks and not scavenge on their remains. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-no-its-not-an-alien-bizarre-fish-with-translucent-head-and-tubular-eyes-spotted-436375" hreflang="en">Watch: No, it's not an alien! Bizarre fish with translucent head and tubular eyes spotted</a>

“We were blown away to find that sharks were on the menu,” Van der Linde said. &nbsp;

“But then we also found elephant fish and ghost sharks were also being hunted by the leopard seals. These fish have large spines to help protect them from predators and sure enough there were wounds on the leopard seals, sometimes even big spines embedded in their faces. One leopard seal had at least 14 such wounds,” added Van der Linde. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In what can be called a rare phenomenon, some researchers have found that leopard seals feed on sharks in New Zealand waters. It seems to be highly rare to find predators are feeding on other predators.

In what can be called a rare phenomenon, some researchers have found that leopard seals feed on sharks in New Zealand waters. It seems to be highly rare to find predators are feeding on other predators. If the researchers are to be believed, it is happening for the first time in the world. Also Read: World's leggiest creature, a millipede with 1,306 legs, discovered in Australia Leopard seals seem to have become a small club of marine predators, which do it. Led by Krista van der Linde of leopardseals.org, the study has found remains of the sharks in the droppings of leopard seals. The researchers also witnessed several signs of struggle with sharks on bodies of the seals. It shows the marine mammals prey on sharks and not scavenge on their remains. Also Read | Watch: No, it's not an alien! Bizarre fish with translucent head and tubular eyes spotted “We were blown away to find that sharks were on the menu,” Van der Linde said. “But then we also found elephant fish and ghost sharks were also being hunted by the leopard seals. These fish have large spines to help protect them from predators and sure enough there were wounds on the leopard seals, sometimes even big spines embedded in their faces. One leopard seal had at least 14 such wounds,” added Van der Linde. (With inputs from agencies)

In a rare finding, researchers claim leopard seals feed on sharks in New Zealand waters

During a 'health check' of London's Thames River, experts found sharks, eels, seals, and seahorses in the river which was once declared 'biologically dead'. The river had been declared 'biologically dead' in 1957, meaning it was believed that the water body could not sustain any wildlife and life forms.

United Kingdom: Once biologically dead, Thames now nurses sharks

During a 'health check' of London’s Thames River, experts found sharks, eels, seals and seahorses in the river which was once declared 'biologically dead'.<o:p></o:p>

The river had been declared 'biologically dead' in 1957, meaning it was believed that the water body could not sustain any wildlife and life forms. The news of revival of these species in Thames now sends a happy message across the country.<o:p></o:p>

"Today, the river is a thriving ecosystem home to myriad wildlife as diverse as London itself," the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said in its State of the Thames report.&nbsp;

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unprecedented-speed-of-global-warming-at-its-fastest-pace-since-ice-age-428615">'Unprecedented': Speed of global warming at its fastest pace since ice age</a></o:p>

This report is a part of the Greater Thames Shark Project which was launched in 2020 by ZSL. This project aims at collecting data about the endangered shark species that populate the outer estuary. For this study, experts studied data of Thames dating back to the 1950s.<o:p></o:p>

"A healthy Thames is also vital in mitigating some of the impacts of climate change," ZSL's Director of Conservation and Policy, Dr. Andrew Terry said. "As we increasingly recognise the intrinsic and economic value of nature’s services to humans, we hope to see investment in the continued restoration of the river."<o:p></o:p>

For the past 18 years, ZSL experts have been working to "restore the Tidal Thames to a biodiverse estuarine ecosystem that provides ecosystem services benefiting our economy and wellbeing". Their efforts seem to have worked as the river "once again provides a rich and varied habitat to an abundance of wildlife, and many benefits to people".<o:p></o:p>

Thames is one of the most famous rivers in the world and plays a very important role in the life of communities living along the flow of the river. This river provides water to the locals staying in the nearby areas and also protects them from coastal flooding.<o:p></o:p>

While experts have expressed happiness over this new discovery, they have also warned that the Thames River is facing the brunt of climate change.<o:p></o:p>

During a 'health check' of London’s Thames River, experts found sharks, eels, seals and seahorses in the river which was once declared 'biologically dead'. The river had been declared 'biologically dead' in 1957, meaning it was believed that the water body could not sustain any wildlife and life forms.

During a 'health check' of London’s Thames River, experts found sharks, eels, seals and seahorses in the river which was once declared 'biologically dead'. The river had been declared 'biologically dead' in 1957, meaning it was believed that the water body could not sustain any wildlife and life forms. The news of revival of these species in Thames now sends a happy message across the country. "Today, the river is a thriving ecosystem home to myriad wildlife as diverse as London itself," the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said in its State of the Thames report. Also read | 'Unprecedented': Speed of global warming at its fastest pace since ice age This report is a part of the Greater Thames Shark Project which was launched in 2020 by ZSL. This project aims at collecting data about the endangered shark species that populate the outer estuary. For this study, experts studied data of Thames dating back to the 1950s. "A healthy Thames is also vital in mitigating some of the impacts of climate change," ZSL's Director of Conservation and Policy, Dr. Andrew Terry said. "As we increasingly recognise the intrinsic and economic value of nature’s services to humans, we hope to see investment in the continued restoration of the river." For the past 18 years, ZSL experts have been working to "restore the Tidal Thames to a biodiverse estuarine ecosystem that provides ecosystem services benefiting our economy and wellbeing". Their efforts seem to have worked as the river "once again provides a rich and varied habitat to an abundance of wildlife, and many benefits to people". Thames is one of the most famous rivers in the world and plays a very important role in the life of communities living along the flow of the river. This river provides water to the locals staying in the nearby areas and also protects them from coastal flooding. While experts have expressed happiness over this new discovery, they have also warned that the Thames River is facing the brunt of climate change.

Sharks spotted! London's River Thames no longer 'biologically dead'

There are sharks in the river Thames and the scientists are very happy about it. This discovery was made in a recent survey, the trends of wildlife from the Thames in the UK is encouraging for wildlife, this after the river was declared biologically dead.

Once biologically dead, Thames now nurses Sharks

Sharks are like tigers in the deep. The apex predator is a perfect killing machine with an aerodynamic body to swim fast, colours that blend in with surroundings, razor sharp teeth and amazing sense of smell that is literally capable of detecting few milliliters of blood from miles away.

But some people in Papua New Guinea catch them by hand!

And they sing to them before catching them.

Yep! That's the deal!

Singing to sharks, or 'shark calling' is an ancient tradition among fisherfolk villages of Messi, Kono and Kontu in Papua New Guinea which is an island nation north of Australia.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-unearth-fossils-of-rare-eagle-species-that-lived-25-million-years-ago-416873">Scientists unearth fossils of rare Eagle species that lived 25 million years ago</a>

The singing involves taking names of their ancestors and showing their respect to the shark before catching it. Then they shake coconut rattle in water to lure sharks from deep and then catch them by hand.

People here believe that sharks carry souls of ancestors. And by showing them respect, a fisherman can catch a shark without himself coming to harm.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-unearth-bones-of-two-new-species-of-dinosaurs-417380">Scientists unearth bones of two new species of dinosaurs</a>

The tradition of 'shark calling' is not just a practice but a philosophy for these people. According to elders in these villagers communication between man and sharks is a reflection of how the man has lived his life.

They believe that only the person who does not drink, womanise or steal from others can become a successful shark caller.

Sharks are like tigers in the deep. The apex predator is a perfect killing machine with an aerodynamic body to swim fast, colours that blend in with surroundings, razor sharp teeth and amazing sense of smell that is literally capable of detecting few milliliters of blood from miles away.

Sharks are like tigers in the deep. The apex predator is a perfect killing machine with an aerodynamic body to swim fast, colours that blend in with surroundings, razor sharp teeth and amazing sense of smell that is literally capable of detecting few milliliters of blood from miles away. But some people in Papua New Guinea catch them by hand! And they sing to them before catching them. Yep! That's the deal! Singing to sharks, or 'shark calling' is an ancient tradition among fisherfolk villages of Messi, Kono and Kontu in Papua New Guinea which is an island nation north of Australia. Also Read | Scientists unearth fossils of rare Eagle species that lived 25 million years ago The singing involves taking names of their ancestors and showing their respect to the shark before catching it. Then they shake coconut rattle in water to lure sharks from deep and then catch them by hand. People here believe that sharks carry souls of ancestors. And by showing them respect, a fisherman can catch a shark without himself coming to harm. Also Read | Scientists unearth bones of two new species of dinosaurs The tradition of 'shark calling' is not just a practice but a philosophy for these people. According to elders in these villagers communication between man and sharks is a reflection of how the man has lived his life. They believe that only the person who does not drink, womanise or steal from others can become a successful shark caller.

People in this country 'sing' to sharks and then catch them by hand

Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod.&nbsp;

This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/experts-believe-heatwave-killed-1-billion-marine-animals-on-canada-coast-396890">Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast</a>

However, soon, when two large great white sharks appeared and started eating the remains, it became a photographic opportunity and a rare sighting for shark researchers.

The crew of Captain John Boats posted a short video clip on Facebook showing the apex predators, one of which is 18-foot feasting on the carcass.&nbsp;Peter Corkeron a&nbsp;whale expert,&nbsp;at the New England Aquarium's, describes it as one of the biggest smorgasbord&nbsp;(or&nbsp;feast) a shark could dream of.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="476" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCaptainJohnBoats%2Fvideos%2F375473510604256%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=265&amp;t=0" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="265"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Boat captain John Goggin told the Boston Herald that people on board were excited and that a lot of people were exclaiming 'Oh my God!' and 'Wow!'.

According to researchers funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), eight great whites appeared over the next two days, along with blue sharks and a variety of seabirds.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/marine-animals-thought-extinct-for-273-million-years-found-in-pacific-ocean-384121">Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean!</a>

They then tagged five new great whites with the Massachusetts division of marine fisheries' assistance. The researchers were already familiar with six of those that turned up to feed.&nbsp;

Another&nbsp;video posted by a Noaa-funded group shows a tourist boat in the background of this encounter. According to them, the carcass would provide nourishment to marine creatures for months to come.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="314" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNOAAOfficeofNationalMarineSanctuaries%2Fvideos%2F710397460357753%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Center for Coastal Studies, a non-profit from Provincetown, Massachusetts identified that the humpback was an unnamed male calf born in 2020 to an adult whale named Venom.

Scientists and whale watchers off the coast of Massachusetts and CSS scientists were familiar with this individual, the group said in a Facebook post. Although at this time, they don't know what caused his death.&nbsp;

According to them, the fact that an individual has died is a sad event, but recording these occurrences is essential for long-term population studies.&nbsp;In addition, they say that these efforts are also required to unravel the current unusual humpback whale mortality phenomenon occurring along the Atlantic coast.

Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod. This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise.

Recently, a heartbreaking moment soon turned into a camera-ready moment for some visitors to Cape Cod. This happened in the Stellwagen Bank national marine sanctuary waters where the decomposing carcass of a year-old humpback calf proved to be an unimaginably heartbreaking sight for some people on a whale-watching cruise. Also read | Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast However, soon, when two large great white sharks appeared and started eating the remains, it became a photographic opportunity and a rare sighting for shark researchers. The crew of Captain John Boats posted a short video clip on Facebook showing the apex predators, one of which is 18-foot feasting on the carcass. Peter Corkeron a whale expert, at the New England Aquarium's, describes it as one of the biggest smorgasbord (or feast) a shark could dream of. × Boat captain John Goggin told the Boston Herald that people on board were excited and that a lot of people were exclaiming 'Oh my God!' and 'Wow!'. According to researchers funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), eight great whites appeared over the next two days, along with blue sharks and a variety of seabirds. Also read | Marine animals thought extinct for 273 million years found in Pacific Ocean! They then tagged five new great whites with the Massachusetts division of marine fisheries' assistance. The researchers were already familiar with six of those that turned up to feed. Another video posted by a Noaa-funded group shows a tourist boat in the background of this encounter. According to them, the carcass would provide nourishment to marine creatures for months to come. × The Center for Coastal Studies, a non-profit from Provincetown, Massachusetts identified that the humpback was an unnamed male calf born in 2020 to an adult whale named Venom. Scientists and whale watchers off the coast of Massachusetts and CSS scientists were familiar with this individual, the group said in a Facebook post. Although at this time, they don't know what caused his death. According to them, the fact that an individual has died is a sad event, but recording these occurrences is essential for long-term population studies. In addition, they say that these efforts are also required to unravel the current unusual humpback whale mortality phenomenon occurring along the Atlantic coast.

Great white sharks feast on a whale carcass in Cape Cod, video goes viral

Every year millions and millions of sardines trek along the cold currents off the South Africa coast during the southern hemisphere winter months, peaking in July. Countless dolphins and sharks hunt along the shoals - a spectacular sight that awes tourists lucky enough to find them.

Indian Ocean ballet: South Africa's breathtaking 'sardine run'

If researchers are to be believed, an&nbsp;underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km&nbsp;deep in the Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;It is located between&nbsp;the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica.&nbsp;

According to a CNN Report,&nbsp;the&nbsp;'superhighway' is crucial for the sea life, such as&nbsp;sea turtles, whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. These&nbsp;aquatic animals&nbsp;move back and forth between the islands, looking for a place to nest or foraging for food.&nbsp;

The route can be dangerous&nbsp;as the&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;is open to fishing vessels, unlike the marine reserves at each end.&nbsp;

As per the&nbsp;data,&nbsp;the&nbsp;population of&nbsp;the&nbsp;migratory species&nbsp;is&nbsp;declining. Most of these species is also&nbsp;endangered.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alex Hearn, a biology professor and founding member of&nbsp;MigraMar, which is a coalition of scientists and environmental groups, said, “Protecting biodiversity hotspots around the islands is not enough.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hearn’s&nbsp;team&nbsp;is campaigning for the entire&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;to be protected. This&nbsp;swimway&nbsp;is&nbsp;an area, which&nbsp;stretches&nbsp;over 240,000 square&nbsp;kilometres&nbsp;of ocean.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;team&nbsp;looks&nbsp;to get&nbsp;fishing restrictions&nbsp;extended&nbsp;beyond the current&nbsp;74-km radius around the Galapagos islands and&nbsp;22-km&nbsp;radius around Cocos Island. It will help in&nbsp;creating a narrow-protected channel between the two.&nbsp;

If researchers are to be believed, an underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km deep in the Pacific Ocean. It is located between the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica.

If researchers are to be believed, an underwater 'superhighway' stretches around 700 km deep in the Pacific Ocean. It is located between the marine reserves of Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica. According to a CNN Report, the 'superhighway' is crucial for the sea life, such as sea turtles, whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. These aquatic animals move back and forth between the islands, looking for a place to nest or foraging for food. The route can be dangerous as the swimway is open to fishing vessels, unlike the marine reserves at each end. As per the data, the population of the migratory species is declining. Most of these species is also endangered. Alex Hearn, a biology professor and founding member of MigraMar, which is a coalition of scientists and environmental groups, said, “Protecting biodiversity hotspots around the islands is not enough.” Hearn’s team is campaigning for the entire swimway to be protected. This swimway is an area, which stretches over 240,000 square kilometres of ocean. The team looks to get fishing restrictions extended beyond the current 74-km radius around the Galapagos islands and 22-km radius around Cocos Island. It will help in creating a narrow-protected channel between the two.

Scientists come to the rescue of a 'superhighway' of sharks, turtles  

In the Gulf of Thailand, fisheries researchers use a guideline to scuba dive to the ocean floor where they release baskets full of young bamboo sharks. 
 
The small, slow moving, bottom dwelling sharks with striped bodies and an extra long tail have become endangered in recent years because of their popularity with fish collectors and exotic food diners. 
 
Researchers have released scores of juvenile bamboo sharks in the Gulf over the past several months, hoping to remove the species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's 'Near Threatened' red list. 
 
"We dive down to the sea base to release the fishes in safe area so they have a better chance to survive, rather than releasing them on the water surface like most other animals," fisheries official Udom Krueniam said from a dive boat earlier this month. "If we release them on the water surface, there's more chance they’ll be eaten by bigger fish or swim out from shelter." 
 
Researchers last week released 40 of the brownbanded bamboo sharks, aged between 2 and 3 months, in an purpose-built artificial coral reef at a depth of 18 metres (60 feet). 
 
The species is native to the Gulf of Thailand, and is also found across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Northern Australia. 
 
The sharks are one of the smallest marine predators, growing to a maximum length of around 1.2 metres (4 feet), and are not threatening to humans. They feed mainly at night, using their small teeth to grasp or crush prey. 
 
Researchers hope the released sharks will settle in to their new home, where they will initially be sheltered by the man-made reef and hopefully reproduce. 
 
Back at a research facility on land, Panida BuaLangka&nbsp;carefully uses scissors to cut off the end of an egg sheath to help release the baby shark inside. Researchers help hatch the eggs in an aquarium, rather than in the open sea where they are vulnerable to other predators. 
 
Udom said a successful egg hatching project last year was providing researchers with more baby sharks to release this year. 
 
The project has so far helped hatch, nurse and deliver more than 200 bamboo sharks to the Gulf of Thailand. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In the Gulf of Thailand, fisheries researchers use a guideline to scuba dive to the ocean floor where they release baskets full of young bamboo sharks. The small, slow moving, bottom dwelling sharks with striped bodies and an extra long tail have become endangered in recent years because of their popularity with fish collectors and exotic food diners.

In the Gulf of Thailand, fisheries researchers use a guideline to scuba dive to the ocean floor where they release baskets full of young bamboo sharks. The small, slow moving, bottom dwelling sharks with striped bodies and an extra long tail have become endangered in recent years because of their popularity with fish collectors and exotic food diners. Researchers have released scores of juvenile bamboo sharks in the Gulf over the past several months, hoping to remove the species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's 'Near Threatened' red list. "We dive down to the sea base to release the fishes in safe area so they have a better chance to survive, rather than releasing them on the water surface like most other animals," fisheries official Udom Krueniam said from a dive boat earlier this month. "If we release them on the water surface, there's more chance they’ll be eaten by bigger fish or swim out from shelter." Researchers last week released 40 of the brownbanded bamboo sharks, aged between 2 and 3 months, in an purpose-built artificial coral reef at a depth of 18 metres (60 feet). The species is native to the Gulf of Thailand, and is also found across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Northern Australia. The sharks are one of the smallest marine predators, growing to a maximum length of around 1.2 metres (4 feet), and are not threatening to humans. They feed mainly at night, using their small teeth to grasp or crush prey. Researchers hope the released sharks will settle in to their new home, where they will initially be sheltered by the man-made reef and hopefully reproduce. Back at a research facility on land, Panida BuaLangka carefully uses scissors to cut off the end of an egg sheath to help release the baby shark inside. Researchers help hatch the eggs in an aquarium, rather than in the open sea where they are vulnerable to other predators. Udom said a successful egg hatching project last year was providing researchers with more baby sharks to release this year. The project has so far helped hatch, nurse and deliver more than 200 bamboo sharks to the Gulf of Thailand. (With inputs from agencies)

Endangered bamboo sharks given helping hand in Gulf of Thailand

Sharks are considered among the most elusive creatures on the planet. Their wits and the ability to navigate the deep seas have found expression in all kinds of media, from cult classics like Jaws to research papers serving as testimony to their geographical prowess.&nbsp;

Earlier, a study shed light on how sharks evolved to adjust to the changes on Earth and many species in fact had fins to support their movement. All aquatic animals are considered the most ancient creatures on our planet, and also the most well-equipped to changes.

Now, a new study sheds light on how the mighty creatures navigate the seas in the absence of modern technology like ours to guide them. Ever wondered what it would be like to find your way across alien territory with dangers lurking everywhere? Well, that's a regular day in a shark's life.

Turns out, the mighty predators have a natural navigation system of their own. Very much like our GPS, it allows the creatures to navigate the seas without depending on external factors. The best part? It comes in-built into their bodies and personalities, much like the GPS in our cars.

How does this shark-based GPS work?

The system, as per scientists from the Florida State University, allows sharks to employ the Earth’s magnetic forces to successfully undertake dangerous and long journeys with high accuracy.

To understand marine navigation, the researchers from Florida observed 20 bonehead sharks that belong to the hammerhead family. They undertook “magnetic displacement” exercises which were successfully able to replicate locations situated hundreds of kilometres away from where they were captured.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/fossils-of-bizarre-shark-with-wing-like-fins-from-93-million-years-ago-found-in-mexico-371859" hreflang="en">Fossils of 'bizarre' shark with wing-like fins from 93 million years ago found in Mexico</a>

The sharks showed a “homeward orientation” to scientists after being exposed to magnetic cues that tried to recreate the characteristics of a location 603 kilometres (375 miles) away from where they were taken, pointing to the use of magnetic forces in their own GPS system!

The study was published in the journal “Current Biology” and could help scientists understand the puzzling nature of sharks’ navigation in the ocean, whereby they are able to travel long distances and still manage to return to their starting point every year to feed, breed, and to give birth.

The scientists believe that the characteristics of the magnetic forces shown by bonnetheads are probably common to all species of sharks that are capable of travelling long distances in the ocean. Wouldn't our lives also be a lot easier if humans came equipped with a similar navigation system? Perhaps we might evolve to imbibe it in centuries, if not anytime soon.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/scientists-discover-three-deep-sea-sharks-that-glow-in-dark-367428" hreflang="en">Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in dark</a>

Sharks are considered among the most elusive creatures on the planet. Their wits and the ability to navigate the deep seas have found expression in all kinds of media, from cult classics like Jaws to research papers serving as testimony to their geographical prowess.

Sharks are considered among the most elusive creatures on the planet. Their wits and the ability to navigate the deep seas have found expression in all kinds of media, from cult classics like Jaws to research papers serving as testimony to their geographical prowess. Earlier, a study shed light on how sharks evolved to adjust to the changes on Earth and many species in fact had fins to support their movement. All aquatic animals are considered the most ancient creatures on our planet, and also the most well-equipped to changes. Now, a new study sheds light on how the mighty creatures navigate the seas in the absence of modern technology like ours to guide them. Ever wondered what it would be like to find your way across alien territory with dangers lurking everywhere? Well, that's a regular day in a shark's life. Turns out, the mighty predators have a natural navigation system of their own. Very much like our GPS, it allows the creatures to navigate the seas without depending on external factors. The best part? It comes in-built into their bodies and personalities, much like the GPS in our cars. How does this shark-based GPS work? The system, as per scientists from the Florida State University, allows sharks to employ the Earth’s magnetic forces to successfully undertake dangerous and long journeys with high accuracy. To understand marine navigation, the researchers from Florida observed 20 bonehead sharks that belong to the hammerhead family. They undertook “magnetic displacement” exercises which were successfully able to replicate locations situated hundreds of kilometres away from where they were captured. Also read: Fossils of 'bizarre' shark with wing-like fins from 93 million years ago found in Mexico The sharks showed a “homeward orientation” to scientists after being exposed to magnetic cues that tried to recreate the characteristics of a location 603 kilometres (375 miles) away from where they were taken, pointing to the use of magnetic forces in their own GPS system! The study was published in the journal “Current Biology” and could help scientists understand the puzzling nature of sharks’ navigation in the ocean, whereby they are able to travel long distances and still manage to return to their starting point every year to feed, breed, and to give birth. The scientists believe that the characteristics of the magnetic forces shown by bonnetheads are probably common to all species of sharks that are capable of travelling long distances in the ocean. Wouldn't our lives also be a lot easier if humans came equipped with a similar navigation system? Perhaps we might evolve to imbibe it in centuries, if not anytime soon. Also read: Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in dark

Sharks have in-built navigation system similar to GPS. Here's how it works

Scientists recently found the full fossil of a shark which used to rule the oceans about 93 million years ago. Findings based on the remains of a strange shark species officially known as “Aquilolamna milarcae” were&nbsp;published in the journal Science on Thursday.

Vertebrate palaeontologist and lead author of the study Romain Vullo said the name Aquilolamna translates into “eagle shark”, and that the strange species used to feed on plankton during the time dinosaurs ruled the land.

<h6><img alt="A handout image made available on March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of an Aquilolamna Eagle Shark. Some 93 million years ago, a bizarre winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This newly described fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed its discoverers to erect a new family. Like manta rays, these 'eagle sharks' are characterised by extremely long and thin pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. The specimen studied was 1.65 metres long and had a span of 1.90 metres. With its large mouth and supposed very small teeth, it must have fed on plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS. The complete specimen was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico). Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / Heidelberg University / AFP" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e052bcfa-cc03-43d3-8e85-ac576cd44a50" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/oof%20%284%29.jpg" /> 
A handout image made available on March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of an Aquilolamna Eagle Shark. Some 93 million years ago, a bizarre winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This newly described fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed its discoverers to erect a new family. Like manta rays, these 'eagle sharks' are characterised by extremely long and thin pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. The specimen studied was 1.65 metres long and had a span of 1.90 metres. With its large mouth and supposed very small teeth, it must have fed on plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS. The complete specimen was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico). | Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / Heidelberg University / AFP</h6>

The sharks roamed the seas now situated in northeastern Mexico and had lengthy wing-like fins. The shark possessed a fin span of about 1.9 metres (over 6 feet) and a head-to-toe length of 1.65 metres (over 5 feet), leaving the scientists flabbergasted.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/scientists-discover-three-deep-sea-sharks-that-glow-in-dark-367428" hreflang="en">Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in dark</a>

Reuters cited Vullo as saying that the fins “mainly acted as an “effective stabiliser”. Vullo, affiliated with Geoscienes Rennes, the University of Rennes and France’s National for Scientific Research’s research unit said this makes the species only sharks to be wider than long.

"Aquilolamna is indeed a perfect example of an extinct creature revealing an unexpected new morphology. This strongly suggests that other outstanding body shapes and morphological adaptations may have existed through the evolutionary history of sharks," Reuters quoted Vullo as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/dramatic-shark-decline-leaves-gaping-hole-in-ocean-study-359742" hreflang="en">Dramatic shark decline leaves 'gaping hole' in ocean: Study</a>

But it’s not so far fetched from regular characteristics of sharks, including the torpedo-shaped body, and the tail of shark. Its pectoral fins, however, stood out!

Researchers believe that Aquilolamna was probably a slow-swimming shark, feeding on plankton through filter-feeding, akin to what plankton eating sharks do today.

The fossil was unearthed in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, but did not reveal its filter mechanism.

Scientists recently found the full fossil of a shark which used to rule the oceans about 93 million years ago. Findings based on the remains of a strange shark species officially known as “Aquilolamna milarcae” were published in the journal Science on Thursday.

Scientists recently found the full fossil of a shark which used to rule the oceans about 93 million years ago. Findings based on the remains of a strange shark species officially known as “Aquilolamna milarcae” were published in the journal Science on Thursday. Vertebrate palaeontologist and lead author of the study Romain Vullo said the name Aquilolamna translates into “eagle shark”, and that the strange species used to feed on plankton during the time dinosaurs ruled the land. A handout image made available on March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of an Aquilolamna Eagle Shark. Some 93 million years ago, a bizarre winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This newly described fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed its discoverers to erect a new family. Like manta rays, these 'eagle sharks' are characterised by extremely long and thin pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. The specimen studied was 1.65 metres long and had a span of 1.90 metres. With its large mouth and supposed very small teeth, it must have fed on plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS. The complete specimen was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico). | Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / Heidelberg University / AFP The sharks roamed the seas now situated in northeastern Mexico and had lengthy wing-like fins. The shark possessed a fin span of about 1.9 metres (over 6 feet) and a head-to-toe length of 1.65 metres (over 5 feet), leaving the scientists flabbergasted. Also read: Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in dark Reuters cited Vullo as saying that the fins “mainly acted as an “effective stabiliser”. Vullo, affiliated with Geoscienes Rennes, the University of Rennes and France’s National for Scientific Research’s research unit said this makes the species only sharks to be wider than long. "Aquilolamna is indeed a perfect example of an extinct creature revealing an unexpected new morphology. This strongly suggests that other outstanding body shapes and morphological adaptations may have existed through the evolutionary history of sharks," Reuters quoted Vullo as saying. Also read: Dramatic shark decline leaves 'gaping hole' in ocean: Study But it’s not so far fetched from regular characteristics of sharks, including the torpedo-shaped body, and the tail of shark. Its pectoral fins, however, stood out! Researchers believe that Aquilolamna was probably a slow-swimming shark, feeding on plankton through filter-feeding, akin to what plankton eating sharks do today. The fossil was unearthed in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, but did not reveal its filter mechanism.

Fossils of 'bizarre' shark with wing-like fins from 93 million years ago found in Mexico

Scientists have discovered a new species of sharks that glow underwater. What's the science behind this seemingly unnatural phenomenon?

Gravitas: Sharks that glow in the dark

Researchers have discovered three deep-sea sharks that glow in the dark, including one that is the largest known luminous vertebrate in a recent study.

Bioluminescence has often been seen as a spectacular yet uncommon event at sea but considering the vastness of the deep sea and the occurrence of luminous organisms in this zone, it is now more and more obvious that producing light at depth must play an important role in structuring the biggest ecosystem on our planet.

Bioluminescence is defined as the production of visible light by living organisms.&nbsp;This living light, also called cold light, occurs through a biochemical reaction; the oxidation of a substrate, a luciferin, by an enzyme, the luciferase, or through a stabilized complex called photoprotein.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/surfs-up-surfers-glide-along-fluorescent-waves-in-california-296962">Surf's up! Surfers glide along fluorescent waves in California</a>

Three species of deepwater sharks&nbsp;were found&nbsp;from the Chatham Rise, an area of the ocean floor to the east of New Zealand.

This first experimental study of three luminous shark species from New Zealand provides an insight into the diversity of shark bioluminescence and highlights the need for more research to help understand these unusual deep-sea inhabitants: the glowing sharks.

The three studied shark species inhabit the mesopelagic zone. Therefore they face an environment with no place to hide, hence the need for glowing camouflage or counterillumination. The mesopelagic zone, often called the twilight zone, ranges from 200 to 1000 m depth (maximal depth of solar light penetration) and is the realm of bioluminescence.&nbsp;

At 200 m the residual solar light is considered too weak to initiate photosynthesis but organisms living there are well adapted to see in low light conditions.&nbsp;

Mesopelagic cephalopods, sharks and bony fishes have large eyes with specialized structures such as a large iris, a tapetum, huge rod density, high content of opsins (rhodopsin and chrysopsin), and an elevated integration rate at the optical nerve which allows them to perceive very low light levels down to 800 m depth.

This new type of bioluminescence-associated placoid scale needs to be highly translucent or possess specific physical characteristics to allow efficient light transmission.&nbsp;

Simultaneities of curves kinetics and pigment motions highlight the evolutive conservation of hormonally controlled pigment motion regulating luminescence.

This control is assumed to have been successfully and evolutionary co-opted from shark melanophore pigment motion control by a common ancestor of these two squaliform families.

The results of the study support evolutive conservation of light organ morphology and luminescence control.

Researchers have discovered three deep-sea sharks that glow in the dark, including one that is the largest known luminous vertebrate in a recent study. Bioluminescence has often been seen as a spectacular yet uncommon event at sea but considering the vastness of the deep sea and the occurrence of luminous organisms in this zone, it is now more and more obvious that producing light at depth must play an important role in structuring the biggest ecosystem on our planet.

Researchers have discovered three deep-sea sharks that glow in the dark, including one that is the largest known luminous vertebrate in a recent study. Bioluminescence has often been seen as a spectacular yet uncommon event at sea but considering the vastness of the deep sea and the occurrence of luminous organisms in this zone, it is now more and more obvious that producing light at depth must play an important role in structuring the biggest ecosystem on our planet. Bioluminescence is defined as the production of visible light by living organisms. This living light, also called cold light, occurs through a biochemical reaction; the oxidation of a substrate, a luciferin, by an enzyme, the luciferase, or through a stabilized complex called photoprotein. Also see| Surf's up! Surfers glide along fluorescent waves in California Three species of deepwater sharks were found from the Chatham Rise, an area of the ocean floor to the east of New Zealand. This first experimental study of three luminous shark species from New Zealand provides an insight into the diversity of shark bioluminescence and highlights the need for more research to help understand these unusual deep-sea inhabitants: the glowing sharks. The three studied shark species inhabit the mesopelagic zone. Therefore they face an environment with no place to hide, hence the need for glowing camouflage or counterillumination. The mesopelagic zone, often called the twilight zone, ranges from 200 to 1000 m depth (maximal depth of solar light penetration) and is the realm of bioluminescence. At 200 m the residual solar light is considered too weak to initiate photosynthesis but organisms living there are well adapted to see in low light conditions. Mesopelagic cephalopods, sharks and bony fishes have large eyes with specialized structures such as a large iris, a tapetum, huge rod density, high content of opsins (rhodopsin and chrysopsin), and an elevated integration rate at the optical nerve which allows them to perceive very low light levels down to 800 m depth. This new type of bioluminescence-associated placoid scale needs to be highly translucent or possess specific physical characteristics to allow efficient light transmission. Simultaneities of curves kinetics and pigment motions highlight the evolutive conservation of hormonally controlled pigment motion regulating luminescence. This control is assumed to have been successfully and evolutionary co-opted from shark melanophore pigment motion control by a common ancestor of these two squaliform families. The results of the study support evolutive conservation of light organ morphology and luminescence control.

Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in dark

Overfishing has savaged populations of some sharks and rays by more than 70 percent in the last half-century, leaving a "gaping, growing hole" in ocean life, according to a new study.

Decades of data show an alarming decline in species ranging from hammerhead sharks to manta rays.

Among the worst-affected is the oceanic whitetip, a powerful shark often described as particularly dangerous to man that now hovers on the edge of extinction because of human activity.

Targeted for their fins, oceanic whitetips are also the victims of&nbsp;&nbsp;indiscriminate fishing techniques. Their global population has dropped 98 percent in the last 60 years.

"That's a worse decline than most large terrestrial mammal populations, and getting up there or as bad as the blue whale decline," Nick Dulvy, a professor at Simon Fraser University's department of biological sciences, told AFP.

Dulvy and a team of scientists spent years collecting and analysing information from scientific studies and fisheries data to build up a picture of the global state of 31 species of sharks and rays.

They found three-quarters of the species examined are now so depleted that they are threatened with extinction.

"We knew the situation was bad in a lot of places but that information came from different studies and reports, so it was difficult to have an idea of the global situation," the study's lead author Nathan Pacoureau told AFP.

"We show steep declines and a rapidly rising extinction risk for the most wide-ranging species in the largest, most remote habitats on the earth, which are often assumed to be protected from human influence," added Pacoureau, a post-doctoral fellow at SFU's department of biological science.

The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, points the finger at overfishing and weak protection, and calls for tighter restrictions and better implementation of existing rules.

The researchers note that species can stage a comeback when conservation efforts are made, so losses are not always irreversible.

The study focuses on oceanic sharks and rays, species that primarily live in open water. While it found variation in the health of different populations, the overall trend was clear.

"The data revealed a gaping, growing hole in ocean life," Pacoureau said.

- 'Stunned into silence' -

For 18 species where more data was available, the researchers concluded global populations fell over 70 percent since 1970.

Dulvy said the figure was likely to be similar, or even worse, for other oceanic sharks and rays, but gaps in data made it difficult to make definitive conclusions.

The results were a shock even for experts, Pacoureau said, describing specialists at a meeting on shark conservation being "stunned into silence" when confronted with the figures.

Three sharks were found to be critically endangered, with their populations declining by more than 80 percent -- the oceanic whitetip shark, scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead.

Sharks and rays are especially vulnerable to population collapse because they grow slowly and reproduce comparatively infrequently.

The study notes a two-fold increase over the last half-century in the use of fishing with longlines and seine nets -- methods that can snare marine life indiscriminately, including endangered animals.

Regional bodies that manage international fisheries "have not prioritised shark and ray protection," Pacoureau said. He backs catch bans for endangered and critically endangered species, and limits for less threatened species.

"Proactive measures can prevent population collapses. And we know they work," he added, pointing to the recovery of great white sharks around the US after new regulations.

Dulvy said ordinary citizens had a role to play by pressing governments to meet their national and international commitments.

"Wherever you can, urge your government to care for sharks," he said.

Overfishing has savaged populations of some sharks and rays by more than 70 percent in the last half-century, leaving a "gaping, growing hole" in ocean life, according to a new study.

Overfishing has savaged populations of some sharks and rays by more than 70 percent in the last half-century, leaving a "gaping, growing hole" in ocean life, according to a new study. Decades of data show an alarming decline in species ranging from hammerhead sharks to manta rays. Among the worst-affected is the oceanic whitetip, a powerful shark often described as particularly dangerous to man that now hovers on the edge of extinction because of human activity. Targeted for their fins, oceanic whitetips are also the victims of indiscriminate fishing techniques. Their global population has dropped 98 percent in the last 60 years. "That's a worse decline than most large terrestrial mammal populations, and getting up there or as bad as the blue whale decline," Nick Dulvy, a professor at Simon Fraser University's department of biological sciences, told AFP. Dulvy and a team of scientists spent years collecting and analysing information from scientific studies and fisheries data to build up a picture of the global state of 31 species of sharks and rays. They found three-quarters of the species examined are now so depleted that they are threatened with extinction. "We knew the situation was bad in a lot of places but that information came from different studies and reports, so it was difficult to have an idea of the global situation," the study's lead author Nathan Pacoureau told AFP. "We show steep declines and a rapidly rising extinction risk for the most wide-ranging species in the largest, most remote habitats on the earth, which are often assumed to be protected from human influence," added Pacoureau, a post-doctoral fellow at SFU's department of biological science. The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, points the finger at overfishing and weak protection, and calls for tighter restrictions and better implementation of existing rules. The researchers note that species can stage a comeback when conservation efforts are made, so losses are not always irreversible. The study focuses on oceanic sharks and rays, species that primarily live in open water. While it found variation in the health of different populations, the overall trend was clear. "The data revealed a gaping, growing hole in ocean life," Pacoureau said. - 'Stunned into silence' - For 18 species where more data was available, the researchers concluded global populations fell over 70 percent since 1970. Dulvy said the figure was likely to be similar, or even worse, for other oceanic sharks and rays, but gaps in data made it difficult to make definitive conclusions. The results were a shock even for experts, Pacoureau said, describing specialists at a meeting on shark conservation being "stunned into silence" when confronted with the figures. Three sharks were found to be critically endangered, with their populations declining by more than 80 percent -- the oceanic whitetip shark, scalloped hammerhead and great hammerhead. Sharks and rays are especially vulnerable to population collapse because they grow slowly and reproduce comparatively infrequently. The study notes a two-fold increase over the last half-century in the use of fishing with longlines and seine nets -- methods that can snare marine life indiscriminately, including endangered animals. Regional bodies that manage international fisheries "have not prioritised shark and ray protection," Pacoureau said. He backs catch bans for endangered and critically endangered species, and limits for less threatened species. "Proactive measures can prevent population collapses. And we know they work," he added, pointing to the recovery of great white sharks around the US after new regulations. Dulvy said ordinary citizens had a role to play by pressing governments to meet their national and international commitments. "Wherever you can, urge your government to care for sharks," he said.

Dramatic shark decline leaves 'gaping hole' in ocean: Study

Enormous megatooth sharks, or megalodons, gave birth to babies larger than most adult humans, researchers have said.

Formally known as Otodus megalodon, these sharks patrolled the world’s oceans more than three million years ago.

The gigantic fish rank among the largest carnivores in the history of life on Earth. Scientists have uncovered plenty of fossils, but megalodon biology is poorly understood because the teeth are often all that remains of the cartilaginous creatures.

Scientists discovered this when they X-rayed the vertebra of a fossilised megalodon and found that it must have been about two metres (6.5 ft) long when it was born. Their remnants have revealed that adults grew to more than 15 metres in length, but until now their size at birth was unclear.

Also, scientists took CT scans of a rare megalodon vertebra kept in a collection at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. The 15cm (6in) wide fossil was estimated to come from a megalodon nine-metres long.

Scientists have believed growth bands on an animal's body indicate their age in years, much as tree rings reveal annual growth in trees. In this particular case, the scans revealed 46 growth bands in the fossil. The researchers hence estimated that the newborn megalodon reached two metres from nose to tail.

They concluded the typical lifespan of the species was at least 88 years.

Enormous megatooth sharks, or megalodons, gave birth to babies larger than most adult humans, researchers have said. Formally known as Otodus megalodon, these sharks patrolled the world’s oceans more than three million years ago.

Enormous megatooth sharks, or megalodons, gave birth to babies larger than most adult humans, researchers have said. Formally known as Otodus megalodon, these sharks patrolled the world’s oceans more than three million years ago. The gigantic fish rank among the largest carnivores in the history of life on Earth. Scientists have uncovered plenty of fossils, but megalodon biology is poorly understood because the teeth are often all that remains of the cartilaginous creatures. Scientists discovered this when they X-rayed the vertebra of a fossilised megalodon and found that it must have been about two metres (6.5 ft) long when it was born. Their remnants have revealed that adults grew to more than 15 metres in length, but until now their size at birth was unclear. Also, scientists took CT scans of a rare megalodon vertebra kept in a collection at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. The 15cm (6in) wide fossil was estimated to come from a megalodon nine-metres long. Scientists have believed growth bands on an animal's body indicate their age in years, much as tree rings reveal annual growth in trees. In this particular case, the scans revealed 46 growth bands in the fossil. The researchers hence estimated that the newborn megalodon reached two metres from nose to tail. They concluded the typical lifespan of the species was at least 88 years.

Newborn megalodons were larger than humans, researchers say

Dressed in South Korea's traditional costume 'Hanbok', two divers at a Seoul aquarium made New Year bows to visitors from underwater on Sunday (January 3).

Divers in 'Hanbok' send underwater New Year greeting from Seoul aquarium

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?”

Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins. They even learned that most male ghost sharks have a retractable sex organ on their foreheads that resembles a medieval mace.

However, much remains to be learned about these strange creatures. Basic biological information, like how long they live and how often they reproduce, is lacking for most of the 52 known species. The absence of this key information makes it difficult for scientists to manage and monitor ghost shark populations, even as evidence mounts that some species may be at risk of extinction.

Scientists from the Shark Specialist Group, a division of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, recently assessed the extinction risk of all confirmed ghost-shark species and determined that 16% are “threatened” or “near threatened.” The assessment, which was published this month in the journal Fish and Fisheries, also found that 15% of ghost-shark species are so understudied that their extinction risk cannot be determined. Now experts are concerned that certain ghost-shark species might go extinct before scientists have a chance to study them.

Ghost sharks can be found in all of the world’s oceans, except the Arctic and the Antarctic. Most inhabit the deep sea, although a handful of species inhabit shallow coastal waters. Despite their name, ghost sharks are not true sharks, although they are closely related. Unlike their shark cousins, ghost sharks have long, thin tails and large, continuously growing tooth plates that give them a ratlike appearance. Some have long skinny snouts while others sport plow-shaped ones that they use to probe seafloor sediment in search of food.

“They’ve got a face only a mother or a researcher could love,” said David Ebert, director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California and co-author of the assessment.

Nearly half the species known to science were discovered only during the past two decades. “We’re just now starting to figure out that there are a lot more of these things around than we realized previously,” said Ebert, whose lab has been credited with the discovery of 11 of the 52 known ghost-shark species.

Ebert is one of only a handful of scientists studying ghost sharks. Securing funding to study them has long been a challenge for scientists.

“Chimaeras don’t have much value commercially, so there’s not a lot of interest in getting more information about them,” said Brit Finucci, fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand and lead author of the assessment. “They’re also quite cryptic, so they’re hard to find and hard to study.”

Several species of ghost shark, including the Bahamas ghost shark, are known from only one specimen.

Ghost sharks are primarily caught as bycatch. While their meat is edible, the majority of their commercial value comes from their livers, which contain an oil known as squalene that is used in a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Although they are harvested and sold all over the world, 90% of ghost-shark species are unmanaged, according to the IUCN assessment. This means that those who catch these species are not subject to limits and are not obligated to share data about their catch.

If fishing fleets continue venturing farther into the deep sea, experts fear, some species of ghost shark could disappear before scientists even notice that they are in trouble.

“How can we start to wrap our head around keeping them from going extinct if we don’t know anything about them?” said Dominique Didier, an ichthyologist at Millersville University in Pennsylvania.

In order to prevent ghost-shark extinctions from occurring unnoticed, the authors argue, more scientists need to study ghost sharks, and marine authorities need to exercise more oversight and management of ghost-shark fisheries around the world.

“We shouldn’t be waiting,” Finucci said. “Even though these animals are assessed with a lesser risk of extinction, we shouldn’t wait until they are actually a threatened species before we start studying them.”

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?” Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins.

Take one look at a ghost shark and you may say, “What’s up with that weird-looking fish?” Over the past few decades, scientists learned that these cartilaginous fishes, also known as ratfish or Chimaeras, have been around for hundreds of millions of years and that they have venomous spines in front of their dorsal fins and “fly” through the water by flapping their pectoral fins. They even learned that most male ghost sharks have a retractable sex organ on their foreheads that resembles a medieval mace. However, much remains to be learned about these strange creatures. Basic biological information, like how long they live and how often they reproduce, is lacking for most of the 52 known species. The absence of this key information makes it difficult for scientists to manage and monitor ghost shark populations, even as evidence mounts that some species may be at risk of extinction. Scientists from the Shark Specialist Group, a division of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, recently assessed the extinction risk of all confirmed ghost-shark species and determined that 16% are “threatened” or “near threatened.” The assessment, which was published this month in the journal Fish and Fisheries, also found that 15% of ghost-shark species are so understudied that their extinction risk cannot be determined. Now experts are concerned that certain ghost-shark species might go extinct before scientists have a chance to study them. Ghost sharks can be found in all of the world’s oceans, except the Arctic and the Antarctic. Most inhabit the deep sea, although a handful of species inhabit shallow coastal waters. Despite their name, ghost sharks are not true sharks, although they are closely related. Unlike their shark cousins, ghost sharks have long, thin tails and large, continuously growing tooth plates that give them a ratlike appearance. Some have long skinny snouts while others sport plow-shaped ones that they use to probe seafloor sediment in search of food. “They’ve got a face only a mother or a researcher could love,” said David Ebert, director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California and co-author of the assessment. Nearly half the species known to science were discovered only during the past two decades. “We’re just now starting to figure out that there are a lot more of these things around than we realized previously,” said Ebert, whose lab has been credited with the discovery of 11 of the 52 known ghost-shark species. Ebert is one of only a handful of scientists studying ghost sharks. Securing funding to study them has long been a challenge for scientists. “Chimaeras don’t have much value commercially, so there’s not a lot of interest in getting more information about them,” said Brit Finucci, fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand and lead author of the assessment. “They’re also quite cryptic, so they’re hard to find and hard to study.” Several species of ghost shark, including the Bahamas ghost shark, are known from only one specimen. Ghost sharks are primarily caught as bycatch. While their meat is edible, the majority of their commercial value comes from their livers, which contain an oil known as squalene that is used in a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Although they are harvested and sold all over the world, 90% of ghost-shark species are unmanaged, according to the IUCN assessment. This means that those who catch these species are not subject to limits and are not obligated to share data about their catch. If fishing fleets continue venturing farther into the deep sea, experts fear, some species of ghost shark could disappear before scientists even notice that they are in trouble. “How can we start to wrap our head around keeping them from going extinct if we don’t know anything about them?” said Dominique Didier, an ichthyologist at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. In order to prevent ghost-shark extinctions from occurring unnoticed, the authors argue, more scientists need to study ghost sharks, and marine authorities need to exercise more oversight and management of ghost-shark fisheries around the world. “We shouldn’t be waiting,” Finucci said. “Even though these animals are assessed with a lesser risk of extinction, we shouldn’t wait until they are actually a threatened species before we start studying them.”

Will ghost sharks vanish before scientists can study them?

Several companies in the race for a coronavirus vaccine have stumbled upon a new and unexpected hurdle: activists protesting the use of a substance that comes from sharks in their products.

The oily compound, called squalene, is churned out by shark livers and has immunity-boosting powers, which has led several companies to use it as an ingredient in vaccines. A group called Shark Allies has mounted a campaign calling on the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies to halt the sourcing of the compound from sharks, warning that mass distribution of a coronavirus vaccine could require harvesting tissue from more than 500,000 sharks.

The call to action made headlines around the globe. But the story on shark squalene isn’t as clear-cut as it might at first seem.

Why are some people so upset about sharks and vaccines?

Companies commonly use squalene as a moisturizing additive in cosmetics and sunscreens. But the substance has also been occasionally used in vaccines as an adjuvant — a chemical that kick-starts the immune system into action, driving stronger, longer-lasting protection against disease.

Although adjuvants aren’t necessary for all vaccines, they can make or break certain recipes. By boosting products’ immunity-priming powers, they can also increase the immunization’s efficiency, giving the vaccine’s ingredients more bang for their buck and freeing up supplies for more doses.

Shark livers are considered among the best sources of the compound. Between 63 million and 273 million sharks die at the hands of humans each year, and liver oil is harvested from at least a couple million of them, according to Catherine Macdonald, a shark biologist in Florida.

Two of the companies under the scrutiny of Shark Allies are GlaxoSmithKline and Seqirus, which each manufacture adjuvants that contain about 10 milligrams of squalene per dose. Those ingredients are found in a number of coronavirus vaccines being tested in humans, including products from Sanofi, Medicago and Clover Biopharmaceuticals, which have all partnered with GSK.

According to one estimate, between 2,500 and 3,000 sharks are needed per metric ton of squalene. Shark Allies extrapolated from these statistics to arrive at their widely quoted numbers tabulating the potential ecological toll on sharks.

Are Shark Allies’ numbers realistic?

Such estimates are difficult to make.

Macdonald pointed out that sharks — of which there are more than 500 species worldwide — vary in size, weight and liver squalene content. The number of sharks required to yield enough squalene-adjuvanted vaccine doses to treat everyone on Earth is thus likely to be a “huge range,” she said. Her own calculations for this statistic stretch between tens of thousands and more than 1 million, depending on how many doses are needed per person.

It’s also the case that of the dozens of vaccine candidates in clinical trials in people, most don’t include squalene. To only rely on vaccines that use shark-based squalene, “a ton of other promising candidates would have to fail — they would have to be the last vaccines standing,” said Saad Omer, a vaccine expert at Yale University. A more plausible scenario would probably involve the distribution of several products made by multiple companies.

Are there alternatives to shark oil?

Squalene has plenty of plant and animal sources (including humans, who produce it to lubricate and protect their skin).

But squeezing squalene out of plants is a pain, while “shark oil is cheap and easy to come by,” said Stefanie Brendl, the executive director of Shark Allies.

“We feel that’s not an excuse,” she said.

She pointed to Amyris, a California-based company, which has been pursuing a synthetic alternative.

Evan Berland, director of U.S. corporate communications for GSK, said the company “is committed to environmental stewardship and is actively exploring the potential for alternative sources of its raw materials when possible.”

No squalene alternatives, however, would be available “within the time frame of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Joanne Cleary, a Seqirus spokeswoman, said her company was in a similar situation. “More will need to be done to research plant-based or synthetic alternatives before they can be used in vaccines,” she said.

Swapping adjuvants, or even adjuvant sources, isn’t trivial, Omer said. Each product has to be refined and tested to ensure it’s safe and effective, and work its way — often ploddingly — through the necessary regulatory steps.

Are vaccine makers to blame for harvesting shark squalene?

Neither GSK nor Seqirus named their suppliers. But GSK said the sharks their squalene came from were “typically caught for other purposes.”

Macdonald said it’s impossible to answer questions about the exact number of sharks that would be killed explicitly for their squalene. Fishers capture sharks for their meat or fins, or simply as bycatch; in many cases, the oil pulled from their bodies might otherwise have been discarded.

So should you really worry that coronavirus vaccines will result in a mass culling of sharks?

No.

Even the Shark Allies team does not think the vaccine industry is “going out and hunting down sharks — we are not saying that at all,” Brendl said. Nor do they wish for companies to terminate or delay coronavirus vaccine production.

“But there are alternatives to shark adjuvants,” she said. “Start testing them.”

Macdonald and others noted that vaccine manufacturers by no means bear the brunt of the responsibility for hoarding shark liver oil. Most fish-sourced squalene is still routed to cosmetics — “much less important things” than vaccines, said Jasmin Graham, a shark biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida.

Crafting more sustainable fishing practices, she said, could help tackle multiple issues at once.

“I don’t think we should demonize the people trying to save our lives,” Graham said. “There are much larger, more important hills to die on.”

Several companies in the race for a coronavirus vaccine have stumbled upon a new and unexpected hurdle: activists protesting the use of a substance that comes from sharks in their products.

Several companies in the race for a coronavirus vaccine have stumbled upon a new and unexpected hurdle: activists protesting the use of a substance that comes from sharks in their products. The oily compound, called squalene, is churned out by shark livers and has immunity-boosting powers, which has led several companies to use it as an ingredient in vaccines. A group called Shark Allies has mounted a campaign calling on the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies to halt the sourcing of the compound from sharks, warning that mass distribution of a coronavirus vaccine could require harvesting tissue from more than 500,000 sharks. The call to action made headlines around the globe. But the story on shark squalene isn’t as clear-cut as it might at first seem. Why are some people so upset about sharks and vaccines? Companies commonly use squalene as a moisturizing additive in cosmetics and sunscreens. But the substance has also been occasionally used in vaccines as an adjuvant — a chemical that kick-starts the immune system into action, driving stronger, longer-lasting protection against disease. Although adjuvants aren’t necessary for all vaccines, they can make or break certain recipes. By boosting products’ immunity-priming powers, they can also increase the immunization’s efficiency, giving the vaccine’s ingredients more bang for their buck and freeing up supplies for more doses. Shark livers are considered among the best sources of the compound. Between 63 million and 273 million sharks die at the hands of humans each year, and liver oil is harvested from at least a couple million of them, according to Catherine Macdonald, a shark biologist in Florida. Two of the companies under the scrutiny of Shark Allies are GlaxoSmithKline and Seqirus, which each manufacture adjuvants that contain about 10 milligrams of squalene per dose. Those ingredients are found in a number of coronavirus vaccines being tested in humans, including products from Sanofi, Medicago and Clover Biopharmaceuticals, which have all partnered with GSK. According to one estimate, between 2,500 and 3,000 sharks are needed per metric ton of squalene. Shark Allies extrapolated from these statistics to arrive at their widely quoted numbers tabulating the potential ecological toll on sharks. Are Shark Allies’ numbers realistic? Such estimates are difficult to make. Macdonald pointed out that sharks — of which there are more than 500 species worldwide — vary in size, weight and liver squalene content. The number of sharks required to yield enough squalene-adjuvanted vaccine doses to treat everyone on Earth is thus likely to be a “huge range,” she said. Her own calculations for this statistic stretch between tens of thousands and more than 1 million, depending on how many doses are needed per person. It’s also the case that of the dozens of vaccine candidates in clinical trials in people, most don’t include squalene. To only rely on vaccines that use shark-based squalene, “a ton of other promising candidates would have to fail — they would have to be the last vaccines standing,” said Saad Omer, a vaccine expert at Yale University. A more plausible scenario would probably involve the distribution of several products made by multiple companies. Are there alternatives to shark oil? Squalene has plenty of plant and animal sources (including humans, who produce it to lubricate and protect their skin). But squeezing squalene out of plants is a pain, while “shark oil is cheap and easy to come by,” said Stefanie Brendl, the executive director of Shark Allies. “We feel that’s not an excuse,” she said. She pointed to Amyris, a California-based company, which has been pursuing a synthetic alternative. Evan Berland, director of U.S. corporate communications for GSK, said the company “is committed to environmental stewardship and is actively exploring the potential for alternative sources of its raw materials when possible.” No squalene alternatives, however, would be available “within the time frame of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. Joanne Cleary, a Seqirus spokeswoman, said her company was in a similar situation. “More will need to be done to research plant-based or synthetic alternatives before they can be used in vaccines,” she said. Swapping adjuvants, or even adjuvant sources, isn’t trivial, Omer said. Each product has to be refined and tested to ensure it’s safe and effective, and work its way — often ploddingly — through the necessary regulatory steps. Are vaccine makers to blame for harvesting shark squalene? Neither GSK nor Seqirus named their suppliers. But GSK said the sharks their squalene came from were “typically caught for other purposes.” Macdonald said it’s impossible to answer questions about the exact number of sharks that would be killed explicitly for their squalene. Fishers capture sharks for their meat or fins, or simply as bycatch; in many cases, the oil pulled from their bodies might otherwise have been discarded. So should you really worry that coronavirus vaccines will result in a mass culling of sharks? No. Even the Shark Allies team does not think the vaccine industry is “going out and hunting down sharks — we are not saying that at all,” Brendl said. Nor do they wish for companies to terminate or delay coronavirus vaccine production. “But there are alternatives to shark adjuvants,” she said. “Start testing them.” Macdonald and others noted that vaccine manufacturers by no means bear the brunt of the responsibility for hoarding shark liver oil. Most fish-sourced squalene is still routed to cosmetics — “much less important things” than vaccines, said Jasmin Graham, a shark biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida. Crafting more sustainable fishing practices, she said, could help tackle multiple issues at once. “I don’t think we should demonize the people trying to save our lives,” Graham said. “There are much larger, more important hills to die on.”

Coronavirus vaccine makers are not mass-slaughtering sharks

A whale shark can live up to 100 years, or even more, scientists have realised!

Researchers employed a technique unheard until now: using a Cold War bomb isotope.

By analysing and measuring the amount of Carbon-14, an isotope used in Cold War bombs, the scientists were able to ascertain the age.

So it goes something like this: The isotope was placed in a shark’s "hard parts" naturally due to its release in the atmosphere during the Cold War. Based on this, the age was decrypted.

The older the whale shark, the lesser Carbon-14 scientists were likely to find.

After collating the study, scientists realised that whale sharks can live for over a century.

During the arms race between 1955-1963, the use of atomic bombs doubled, and this Carbon-14 was then released into the atmosphere - twice the regular amount. This isotope was absorbed by every living being on the planet.

<h6><img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3b392fc-a307-4b6f-9473-b570035f2170" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%288%29_27.jpg" /> 
Indian residents stands next to a whale shark that washed ashore and was lifted out by a crane for inspection by officials at Kasimedu fishing harbour in Chennai on July 27, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

It is used by archaeologists and historians to date ancient bones and artefacts.

The new study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, was headed by Dr Mark Meekan from the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Perth.

In conversation with BBC, he said "So any animal that was alive then incorporated that spike in Carbon-14 into their hard parts. That means we’ve got a time marker within the vertebrae that means we can work out the periodicity at which those isotopes decay".

However, this wasn’t easy, as whale sharks are endangered creatures, making it harder for scientists to even trace them.

Two dead specimens were held in Taiwan and Pakistan, where the tests were then conducted.

Even though it might be a stretch, Dr Meekan also believes that the sharks could go on living for as many as 150 years!

“The absolute longevity of these animals could be very, very old, possibly as much as 100-150 years old”, he told BBC.

“This has huge implications for the species. It suggests that these things are probably intensely vulnerable to over-harvesting”, he added.

As the largest fish in the world, whale sharks can weigh 20.6 tonnes (20,000&nbsp;kgs) and can grow up to 32 feet!

A whale shark can live up to 100 years, or even more, scientists have realised! Researchers employed a technique unheard until now: using a Cold War bomb isotope.

A whale shark can live up to 100 years, or even more, scientists have realised! Researchers employed a technique unheard until now: using a Cold War bomb isotope. By analysing and measuring the amount of Carbon-14, an isotope used in Cold War bombs, the scientists were able to ascertain the age. So it goes something like this: The isotope was placed in a shark’s "hard parts" naturally due to its release in the atmosphere during the Cold War. Based on this, the age was decrypted. The older the whale shark, the lesser Carbon-14 scientists were likely to find. After collating the study, scientists realised that whale sharks can live for over a century. During the arms race between 1955-1963, the use of atomic bombs doubled, and this Carbon-14 was then released into the atmosphere - twice the regular amount. This isotope was absorbed by every living being on the planet. Indian residents stands next to a whale shark that washed ashore and was lifted out by a crane for inspection by officials at Kasimedu fishing harbour in Chennai on July 27, 2019 | AFP It is used by archaeologists and historians to date ancient bones and artefacts. The new study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, was headed by Dr Mark Meekan from the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Perth. In conversation with BBC, he said "So any animal that was alive then incorporated that spike in Carbon-14 into their hard parts. That means we’ve got a time marker within the vertebrae that means we can work out the periodicity at which those isotopes decay". However, this wasn’t easy, as whale sharks are endangered creatures, making it harder for scientists to even trace them. Two dead specimens were held in Taiwan and Pakistan, where the tests were then conducted. Even though it might be a stretch, Dr Meekan also believes that the sharks could go on living for as many as 150 years! “The absolute longevity of these animals could be very, very old, possibly as much as 100-150 years old”, he told BBC. “This has huge implications for the species. It suggests that these things are probably intensely vulnerable to over-harvesting”, he added. As the largest fish in the world, whale sharks can weigh 20.6 tonnes (20,000 kgs) and can grow up to 32 feet!

Cold war bombs help scientists discover whale sharks can live up to a century!

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe.

“Shark Allies” claims that at least 500,000 sharks around the world <a href="https://www.sharkallies.com/shark-free-products/how-many-sharks-are-vaccines-demanding">could be killed in the process of developing a vaccine</a>.&nbsp;

Why?

Most commercial vaccines require an adjuvant, which is a pharmacological or immunological agent. It helps improve the immune response of a vaccine.

This ingredient is found in the livers of sharks, and is intrinsic to producing a quick and effective immune response. Another factor which puts sharks at a higher risk of being butchered is the fact that countries around the world are trying to fast-track mass production of the vaccine to inoculate large number of people.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/cold-war-bombs-help-scientists-discover-whale-sharks-can-live-up-to-a-century-291112" hreflang="en">Cold war bombs help scientists discover whale sharks can live up to a century!</a>

The adjuvant ingredient also helps lower the amount of vaccine needed for each patient, which could help in mass inoculation, but cause more shark deaths.

All vaccines use different adjuvants, the most common one for influenza strains is derived from squalene oil, which is a natural substance found in the livers of sharks, humans, and many other animals.

Even though many animals carry this oil, sharks are the most common commercial source for the substance.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/australia-husband-saves-wife-by-punching-shark-320930" hreflang="en">Australia: Husband saves wife by punching shark</a>

GlaxoSmithKline had already announced pans to use adjuvant in their vaccines, of which they intend to produce 1 billion doses. This includes collaborations with others as well.

According to the organisation - Shark Allies, 21,000 sharks would be killed just to ensure vaccine production in the United States.

The substance - squalene can be produced using plants as well, and the organisation is urging companies to switch to that mode instead of murdering sharks.

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe.

While the world races against time to find an effective vaccine against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed almost 1 million people worldwide, an advocacy group for sharks has warned that the hasty hunt for a vaccine could mean a death sentence for many sharks across the globe. “Shark Allies” claims that at least 500,000 sharks around the world could be killed in the process of developing a vaccine. Why? Most commercial vaccines require an adjuvant, which is a pharmacological or immunological agent. It helps improve the immune response of a vaccine. This ingredient is found in the livers of sharks, and is intrinsic to producing a quick and effective immune response. Another factor which puts sharks at a higher risk of being butchered is the fact that countries around the world are trying to fast-track mass production of the vaccine to inoculate large number of people. Also read: Cold war bombs help scientists discover whale sharks can live up to a century! The adjuvant ingredient also helps lower the amount of vaccine needed for each patient, which could help in mass inoculation, but cause more shark deaths. All vaccines use different adjuvants, the most common one for influenza strains is derived from squalene oil, which is a natural substance found in the livers of sharks, humans, and many other animals. Even though many animals carry this oil, sharks are the most common commercial source for the substance. Also read: Australia: Husband saves wife by punching shark GlaxoSmithKline had already announced pans to use adjuvant in their vaccines, of which they intend to produce 1 billion doses. This includes collaborations with others as well. According to the organisation - Shark Allies, 21,000 sharks would be killed just to ensure vaccine production in the United States. The substance - squalene can be produced using plants as well, and the organisation is urging companies to switch to that mode instead of murdering sharks.

At least 500,000 sharks could be killed to fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine. Find out why

Mysteries of the deep: How some sharks glow green in the dark

sharks

Sharks, News on Sharks, stories on Sharks, articles on Sharks, Sharks stories at Wion, Sharks news, Sharks latest news