Seasonal seabird nesting in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands triggers shark turf wars and habitat shifts among different shark species, according to a new study led by scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) Shark Lab.
Seasonal seabird nesting in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands triggers shark turf wars and habitat shifts among different shark species, according to a new study led by scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) Shark Lab. The research, published in Ecosphere, found that the annual summer arrival of fledgling seabirds at French Frigate Shoals (FFS) concentrates tiger sharks in specific areas.
“We discovered that tiger sharks gather around small islands in summer to hunt fledgling seabirds, which, in turn, forces other smaller sharks to adjust their habitat use,” said Chloé Blandino, lead author of the study and shark husbandry research specialist at HIMB Shark Lab. “It’s a clear example of how a seasonal food source can influence habitat use by an entire predator community.”
Using acoustic transmitters, the research team tagged 128 sharks and tracked their movements around FFS over two years. They compared shark habitat use during the seabird season and the off-season, observing clear behavioral shifts.
Read More: University of Hawaii
Image: Tiger shark captures albatross fledgling off of East Island, French Frigate Shoals atoll. (Credit: Joe Spring, NOAA)
