Shark Conservation & Partnerships Abstracts
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Determining In Situ Habitat Use and Migration of Sand Tiger Sharks (Carcharias taurus) in the Western North Atlantic
Avery Paxton, Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) populations have declined globally, and this shark species is designated as ‘Vulnerable’ internationally and as a ‘Species of Concern’ nationally. Despite conservation concerns, little is known about what types of habitat sand tiger sharks require for key life functions, such as foraging and reproducing, necessary for species recovery. To fill knowledge gaps in our understanding of sand tiger shark habitat use and associated migration patterns in the Western North Atlantic, the NC Aquariums, the South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation (SEZARC), and SEZARC members have formed a team to conduct in-situ sand tiger shark research. Our research approach includes three main components: 1) acoustically tagging and tracking sand tiger sharks, 2) remotely collecting video footage of sand tiger sharks, and 3) developing a citizen-science photo identification program. Our in-situ efforts complement ex-situ research being conducted by zoos and aquaria to conserve sand tiger sharks. |
Sand Tiger (Carcharias taurus) Shark Plasma Testosterone and Semen Seasonality for In Situ and Ex Situ Sharks
Jennifer T Wyffels, South East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation (SEZARC) Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Despite a long history of husbandry for sand tiger sharks, reproduction in aquaria has been largely unsuccessful. To understand why, and as part of a large scale collaborative effort by aquariums, plasma testosterone and semen were examined from mature ex situ sharks (n=18) January-December, and in situ sharks (n=27) April-August. Plasma testosterone was elevated during winter and spring for ex situ sharks and fell precipitously in summer, remaining low throughout fall, supporting an annual reproductive cycle with spring seasonality. For spring samples, ex situ sharks exposed to natural seawater, light and temperature cycles had higher plasma testosterone than sharks not exposed to those parameters. A significant difference (P>0.01) in sperm motility for semen collected in spring was observed for in situ versus ex situ sand tiger sharks, and 100% of ejaculates from in situ sharks contained motile sperm compared to only 50% from ex situ sharks. |
Artificial Insemination of Whitespotted Bamboo (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) Sharks Cassandra Elias Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Artificial insemination of whitespotted bamboo (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) sharks: raw versus seawater diluted cold-stored semen. Cassandra Elias, Robert George, Kathy Heym, Frank Bulman and Jennifer Wyffels Artificial insemination (AI) using cold-stored semen is a method gaining traction for managing ex situ populations of sharks. Bamboo sharks were inseminated with 100 ul raw (n=1 female), 200 ul 1:1 seawater diluted or 1000 ul 1:10 seawater diluted (n=1 female) semen that was shipped overnight at ~4C from a male at another institution. The female receiving raw semen laid 19 eggs with 12 young successfully hatched. The females receiving diluted semen had 1 young hatch each out of 18 or 15 eggs, respectively. Data from this trial indicate that AI with cold-stored semen collected from bamboo sharks at separate institutions can be used to produce significant numbers of offspring, facilitating movement of genetic material rather than fish to maintain genetically diverse shark populations. |
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AZA SAFE: Shark and Rays - Accomplishments, Plans, and
Getting You Involved Beth Firchau Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
The official Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) describes the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program as an effort that, “focuses the collective expertise within our accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save species. At the same time, SAFE [builds] capacity to increase direct conservation spending, as well as our members’ impact on saving species through work in the field, in our zoos and aquariums, and through public engagement.’ The SAFE Sharks and Rays Project is one of many projects developed to do just that. Project coordinators, Beth Firchau and Hap Fatzinger, will provide a history of the SAFE effort in our community, advances in the last year, benchmarks for the coming year, and ways that individuals and institutions can participate, collaborate and make an impact on global shark and ray conservation. |
Help Us Help You: Creating Animal Care Manuals for AZA SAFE Sharks and Rays Kelli Cadenas, Sea Life Michigan Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Sharks and Rays program is a challenge because of the large range of taxa it covers. Because it is such a huge undertaking, the SAFE program leaders have created three projects to help jump start the program. Each project is designed to lead to better care, research, and conservation of sharks and rays around the world. Our program is the creation of AZA Animal Care Manuals (ACM) for several key species of sharks and rays. This talk will cover the species that we are working on, how the project is structured, what the requirements for AZA ACM creation is, and how anyone who is interested can get involved. This project is a great way for young professionals in the Public Aquarium industry to get involved in an exciting AZA project. |
AZA SAFE International Census of Chondrichthyans in Human Care Jennie Janssen, National Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
As part of the AZA SAFE: Sharks and Rays project, an initiative was launched in November 2017 to update the International Elasmobranch Census, formerly coordinated by the American Elasmobranch Society. Beyond updating the composition of elasmobranchs in human care world-wide and developing a mechanism for maintaining current data, the co-leaders of the project also aim to determine key information that supports better knowledge of those animals and facilitates communication among care givers. First steps include recruiting Regional Collaborators, developing a format and vehicle for the census, confirming accuracy of taxonomy, and clearly defining “in human care” as it pertains to the census prior to rollout. Participation by Regional Collaborators and all elasmobranch stakeholders will be critical to attain the global reach and impact this project requires. |
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AZA SAFE: Elasmobranch Phlebotomy and Blood Chemistry Registry
Jill Arnold, National Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Jill Arnold, National Aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St, Baltimore MD 21202 [email protected] 410-576-3872Alexa McDermott Delaune, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta GA [email protected] (404-581-4158)Graham Hill, The Deep, Tower Street, Hull HU1 4DP, UK [email protected] (+44 1482 381028) The Elasmobranch Phlebotomy and Blood Chemistry Registry was initiated in November 2017 to support the AZA SAFE: Sharks and Rays project. Co-leaders were selected for expertise and experience in elasmobranch blood analysis and health assessment. This 3-year project aims to develop best practice guidelines and data references for those working in husbandry, veterinary, commercial laboratory, and research fields. Key topics will cover phlebotomy (blood collection and sample handling), laboratory analysis (cell nomenclature, methodologies and impacts of), and data interpretation. A global database of samples will be compiled based on completeness of the clinical information. The first steps include recruiting collaborators with expertise to advise the leaders, defining the project framework, and organizing a call for blood data. Reference |