Some Timely Shark Info

Just a few items of shark news!

Shortfin Mako sharks are at this time already heading south! With a preferred temperature range of 60-70* F, the shortfins are departing for warmer waters as October unfolds and November approaches. These sharks remain along our area of the coast (writing from Norfolk/Va Beach) for the summer and early fall but turn their tails to the Gulf of Mexico when the water cools down.

Sandbar Sharks' migration coincides with their mating season. These sharks too remain in our general area for the summer, but come colder months the males depart, often in a group. The females follow soon after, but individually and alone. The reason for this is unknown; Sandbars are known for more than a few unusual quirks. After migrating south to Florida or the Gulf, the males once again return home sooner than the females. Presumably leaving them to give birth, it is thought that perhaps the males would turn to the newborn pups as a cannibalistic source of food if they remained.

Stay Sharp!

More Soup?

Chinese NBA star Yao Ming returns to his homeland and admirably commits himself to fighting the explosive craze of shark-fin soup.

The article featured here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/22/501364/main20110217.shtml

has more information.

Check it out!

WWF'in Great

The WWF Seafood Sustainable Group has made recruits of a large supermarket chain in Singapore. This business move effectively halts all sale of shark fins or any other part of the poor creatures. This is a great victory for sharks, whose extremities will no longer be peddled in 42 establishments of Cold Storage.

http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?201825/Leading-Singaporean-supermarket-chain-says-no-to-shark-fin

Andy Brandy gets Friendly

An interesting fellow I accidentally found on Facebook, "A.B.C. 4" seems to be a very talented photographer. Here I have posted his "Great White Shark Song." 

Give it a listen! 

Here is the link to his website, definitely worth checking out:

http://abc4explore.com/

Andy Brandy Casagrande IV & Tiger Shark

Andy Samberg shows his love for our undersea friends!

Marshall Islands, Sanctuary for Sharks

Australia's Marshall Islands has just become the largest legal shark sanctuary in the world!

Sharks must be thrown back when accidentally ensnared by commercial ships and large fines will be imposed upon those possessing any part one.

The Island of Palau (upper left hand corner of right image) is also a shark refuge!

I'm a nice shark...really!

Fish are Friends & Sharks are Fish!

Just one of my favorite characters from a great movie!

Bruce exemplifies a true great white. Far from the vicious brutes most people picture, sharks are regular animals. Wild, yes; and not to be tampered with.

The "Feeding Frenzy" into which Bruce is unwillingly catapulted is an accurate depiction of a shark's instinctive attraction to blood in the water. Blood generally means food for them, and they are Opportunistic Eaters (meaning they eat when the opportunity presents itself, and not often else).

Just a reminder that Fish & Sharks are Friends!

OBX Trip

Some photos from a recent trip down to Avon, NC:

If you look closely, you can see the black tips on all of his fins

This little guy was just above the legal 45 cm limit...

I was thrilled to see such a beautiful little Black-Tip Reef shark on my family vacation to Avon this summer but worried he might end up on somebody's grill.

But he was released without injury!

Luckily the salty old fisherman in the pictures decided to throw him back and he lives to swim another day!