A critically endangered basking shark faced a boat collision in Ireland, captured on video initially. This occurrence underscored the dangers these creatures encounter from vessels and the significance of continuous exploration and marine preservation.
Experts have filmed a critically endangered basking shark struck by a boat near the shores of Ireland. The event was recorded using an activity monitoring tool like a FitBit and a linked camera that the shark was attached with just a few hours before the boat crash. As per the researchers, this could be the premiere recording of a shark, or any sizeable marine creature, being hit by a boat.
Taylor Chapple, a shark specialist at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center and main writer of the study, mentioned that the information amassed from these tools provided researchers a distinct chance to understand more about the consequences of vessel collisions on large marine creatures, a rising worry worldwide.
Influence of Vessel Collisions on Marine Megafauna
“This marks the foremost direct observation of a ship collision with any marine megafauna that we have knowledge of,” described Chapple. “The shark was hit while feeding at the water surface and right away swam to the deep seafloor, transitioning into deeper, offshore waters, exhibiting a sharp distinction to its behavior pre-collision.”
“Our conclusions showcase the perils and repercussions of vessel collisions and the necessity for measures to diminish this risk.”
Researchers remain unsure if the shark, a female around 7 meters long, eventually recuperated from the collision. The tag was programmed to detach from the creature at a preset time. Roughly seven hours post-collision, the tag released itself and was later reclaimed by researchers. The observed data displayed that the shark never returned to feeding or other standard behavior while under observation, as stated by Chapple.
The results were freshly published in the publication Frontiers in Marine Science.
Preservation Initiatives and Basking Shark Behavior
Basking sharks, the second largest known fish, often grow beyond 8 meters in length. They are labeled as endangered globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Ireland represents one of the few recognized regions globally where basking sharks still gather in substantial numbers.
They engage in filter feeding at the water’s surface, akin to some whales, which renders them more exposed to boat impacts. However, unlike whales, basking sharks typically submerge when fatally struck, complicating the assessment of mortality rates, cited Chapple, an assistant professor in the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station and Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
Basking sharks in Ireland obtained protection under the nation’s Wildlife Act in 2022. Earlier this year, the Irish authorities announced the inception of the nation’s premier National Marine Park, conserving 70,000 acres of land and sea along the County Kerry coast, an area frequently visited by basking sharks seasonally for feeding and potential mating rites.
In no time after setting up the park, researchers were executing a pre-planned survey within the park boundaries to gain additional insights into basking shark feeding conduct and its correlation with environmental variables. As a fraction of their analysis, they affixed a camera and activity tracking system to the basking shark while it was feeding.
Examination and Recovery Post-Incident
Following the shark at a secure distance for several hours, the researchers left the zone for the day. The tag was meant to record autonomously until its planned release, at which time the scientists pinpointed and obtained the data.
The tag data disclosed that in the hours following the tagging and monitoring, the shark spent the majority of its time at the surface, maintaining its standard feeding habits, with occasional descents. Afterward, the shark attempted a sudden evasive maneuver, trailed by a boat’s keel slicing over its back, right behind the dorsal fin. The shark spun through the water, then swiftly augmented the frequency of its tail movements as it moved towards the ocean floor.
Footage from the camera pointed out visible skin marks, paint scraps, and a reddish abrasion on the shark, but no noticeable bleeding or open injury. Vessel accidents are not always immediately fatal, but even non-lethal damages can generate immediate and long-term repercussions for the impacted creature, highlighted the researchers.
“The observation that a shark we equipped with our ‘Fitbit’ was impacted in this region within a short timeframe emphasizes the high vulnerability of these creatures to boat accidents and underscores the necessity for increased awareness on ways to prevent such incidents,” mentioned co-author Nicholas Payne, an associate professor at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Natural Sciences. “Basking sharks engage in filter-feeding near the surface, similar to certain whales, which makes them equally prone to collisions.”
This occurrence emphasizes the urgency for further investigation into the encounters between marine activities and basking sharks in the National Marine Park and other key regions along the Irish coastline, expressed co-author Alexandra McInturf, a research colleague at Chapple’s Big Fish Lab at OSU and co-organizer of the Irish Basking Shark Group.
“This study prompts additional inquiries about the frequency and the actual presence of the sharks in these habitats when they are not easily visible at the surface,” McInturf remarked. “Considering that Ireland remains one of the few locations worldwide where sightings of basking sharks remain consistent, addressing such matters will be pivotal not only for expanding our ecological comprehension of the basking shark but also enhancing the protection of this globally endangered species.”
Image Source: Shark Tales @ YouTube
