UK study disproves basking shark hibernation myth
A UK study has shed some light on where basking sharks go during the winter. The world's second largest fish lives in temperate waters along many of Europe's coasts, but is usually only spotted between April and August. Focusing on UK and Irish waters, the 15 year study by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) was carried out with the support of many members of the public. It had been presumed that the sharks migrate offshore to deeper waters during the colder months and possibly slept on ocean floors. However, satellite tracking results indicate that they in fact remain in inshore waters. In 2001 five sharks were tracked as they travelled over 4,000 kilometres and dived to 230 metres. The study used reports of sightings from the general public to learn where the majority of basking sharks congregate during the summer months. Over the 15 year period, most sightings were recorded off the coasts of Cornwall, Devon and the Channel Islands - 11,675 sharks in all, followed by the Isle of Man (2,977), Scotland (1,426), Northern Ireland (61) and Wales (27). Some 200 sharks were also seen around the coast of Ireland. Single sharks between two and six metres long were reported most frequently, but large shoals of up to 500 sharks, which included sharks of up to eight metres long, were sighted off the South West coast of England. The director of conservation at the MCS, Sam Fanshawe, is pleased with the results of the study, but admits that knowledge of the fish is still incomplete. 'Basking Shark Watch has significantly increased our limited knowledge of these magnificent animals while they are in UK waters. The distribution of sightings received by MCS from the public provides a broad picture of where these sharks are and indicates several areas where large numbers of basking sharks congregate. These areas may provide key habitat for this species and could be considered for protection,' said Ms Fanshawe.
Kraje
United Kingdom