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Marine Life & Conservation

Introducing the Shark Family

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In the last article I introduced you to Blue Planet Aquarium’s Dive team as well as some of our Sharks. But in this article I’ll be going into more detail about the biggest sharks in our collection, the Sand Tiger Sharks, and I’ll be going over their individual personalities and behaviours as well as a little bit about how we look after their individual needs.

Firstly, these Sand Tiger Sharks are a close relative of the White Shark and Goblin Shark and range throughout the world’s oceans in both temperate and tropical seas, they have many names throughout their range, such as Ragged tooth Sharks, “Raggies”, in places such as South Africa or Grey Nurse Sharks in Australia. Even though Sand Tigers have quite a fearsome appearance judging by their denture, they’re actually incredibly docile and very nice natured, which is why they’re so popular in Aquarium’s around the world. Sand Tigers are also incredibly easy to care for in aquariums, as long as they have enough space and food, they’re perfectly happy.

At Blue Planet, we Feed our Sand Tiger’s three times a week and offer one fish per shark each feed, which usually equates to around 2% of the Sharks body weight per week, which is more than enough. We feed our Sharks on a variety of foods such as Mackerel, Whiting and Saury but the main thing we feed them is Trevally (small Jackfish).

The Dive Team here at Blue Planet Aquarium have what we call a mutually beneficial relationship with the Sharks and it’s a very simple relationship, we know that the main tank is the Sharks home and that we are just guests in their home. The Sharks demand space and respect so we make sure to oblige and allow the sharks to move where they want, when they want, and we will always give way to the sharks. Through respecting the shark’s needs, the sharks learn to respect us, and therefore on occasions where we require space in order to carry out tasks in the tank, the Sharks oblige us, as we have done for them on all the other occasions.

We have five Sand Tigers at Blue Planet Aquarium, three males and two females and each one has its own distinct personality. Our Eldest Shark is Wilma who came to us back in 1998 when the aquarium first opened, she came from an aquarium in New York and is known as the “Grandma Shark” or the “Grey Lady” as she’s a more pale or Greyish colour compared to the rest. She’s around 50 years old however we do not have an exact age, but we do know that’s she’s very old in terms of a Sand Tiger’s lifespan as their average wild life expectancy is round 25 years old.

Our largest Shark is Betty, who came to us along with one of our males Alfie, when they both came they were named ‘Thunder’ (Betty) and ‘Lighting’ (Alfie) but whilst being quarantined they were nicknamed ‘Shark A’ (Alfie) and ‘Shark B’ (Betty) and those are the names that stuck, hence what we know them as today. We estimate Betty to be around 11-foot-long and weighs in excess of 35 stone, she sleeps for most of the day but is personally my favourite shark as she is an incredible animal to see on dives just due to her massive size. Alfie is who we call our “Crazy Male” as he gets quite excited during mating season, he does this because he’s showing off to the females and is trying to establish his dominance over the other males.

Flare is our Alpha Male and is so named as his Jaw “flares” out of his mouth and makes him look a little more unusual than the others, this was caused when he had a gum infection when he was younger. When Sharks feed they dislocate their top jaw in order to help give that extra few inches to grab their prey but Flare had a gum infection that stopped him from retracting his jaw back in, however he was checked by several vets who stated that it’s a fairly common occurrence in captive and wild Sand Tiger Sharks and was told that it shouldn’t cause any issues,  and thankfully it hasn’t as he has been living happily and healthily at the aquarium since we opened in 1998.

Our youngest and smallest male is Dingle, he came to us around 8 years ago from Dingle Aquarium in Dingle, Ireland. He’s only been involved in the last 4 mating seasons since he matured and gets quite excited in the first 1-1½ months of the three-month mating season until the more dominant sharks Flare and Alfie join in which is when he relaxes, allowing the more dominant males to step in. Dingle is an absolute delight to work with as he’s probably the most relaxed Sand Tiger out of our group.

So, there you have it our Sand Tiger family!  This is merely just scratching the surface of these amazing animals and even though we spend every day with them, they never cease to amaze and surprise us.

For more information please visit the Blue Planet Aquarium website by clicking here.


Follow Donovan on Instagram at www.instagram.com/donovans_reefs

Donovan is a Divemaster who currently works as a Shark Diver at Blue Planet Aquarium based in Ellesmere Port. Donovan’s passion lies with Elasmobranch’s (Sharks & Rays) and this passion has led him to work in South Africa with White Sharks for a short period. He also believes that education through exposure is the best way to re-educate people about Sharks. Follow Donovan at www.instagram.com/donovans_reefs

Marine Life & Conservation

New report shows simple measures needed to cut beach plastic pollution

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The Marine Conservation Society has launched its annual State of our Beaches 2023 report, highlighting the need for less single-use plastic items and more refillable options.

The charity’s beach cleaning programme, now in its 30th year, asks volunteers to record all litter that they find within a 100-metre stretch of beach. By gathering vital data from across the UK and Channel Islands, the charity creates change for cleaner seas and a healthier planet through policy and industry change. Last year, over 148 kilometres of beach were surveyed by volunteers, who removed 17,208kgs of litter from our coast.

Using data collected by over 14,000 volunteers, the State of our Beaches 2023 report shows that half of all litter collected came from public sources – either dumped, blown or washed onto our beaches.

Drinks-related litter, such as plastic bottles, caps and cans were one of the most found items, with an average of 16 found per 100 metres of beach surveyed. This figure is up 14% compared to the charity’s 2022 report.

Plastics caps and lids were recorded on 89% of surveys, with over 30,000 found in total. Plastic bottles were also commonly collected, with 73% of surveys finding this single-use item – a 4% increase compared to 2022. The charity’s inland litter pick survey, Source to Sea, also reported finding plastic bottles on 92% of cleans.

However, the charity’s State of Our Beaches 2023 report also indicates that some types of litter are on a downward trend. Although still in the top 10 litter items, disposable plastic cutlery, trays and straws were found on 5% fewer beaches across the UK, showing that bans on these plastic items between 2022 – 2023 could be working. The presence of plastic cotton bud sticks also dropped by 14%.

Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said, “Half of the litter found on our beaches originates from public sources, underscoring the pressing issue of single-use plastic. Evidence shows that refillable alternatives and litter return schemes effectively reduce rubbish, as demonstrated by the decline our data has shown in items like plastic bags and disposable cutlery.

“Urgent and decisive action from UK governments is needed to accelerate our shift towards a circular economy, where we reuse, repair and recycle. The public needs greater access to refillable products and systems need to be implemented in which manufacturers are responsible for their waste.”

Governments across the UK have committed to delivering deposit return schemes from October 2025. However, the proposed scheme in England does not include glass items, despite glass being found on 52% of beaches in 2023. The charity is calling for governments across the UK to introduce compatible all inclusive deposit return schemes as soon as possible. This would see aluminium cans, and plastic and glass bottles have a 20p deposit which would be returned when recycled which would reduce drinks-related pollution.

Businesses are, however, starting to take refillable and reusable options into their own hands. Supermarket chain, Aldi, the largest corporate funder of the charity’s 2024 Beachwatch programme, is already leading the charge in refillable items by trialling refillable options for cereals and porridge oats in their stores over the past 5 months.

Plastics and Packaging Director, Luke Emery, from Aldi, who are running 4 beach cleans for staff and volunteers in 2024, said, We are continually working to reduce single-use plastics and packaging, and making unpackaged product options more commonplace for our customers is a key part of this. We are really pleased with the uptake of our refillable range so far by customers. Not only are we making sustainable shopping more accessible, but we also offer refill products for a better price than the packaged alternative, helping our customers save money.”

Marine litter is one of the biggest threats to our seas, with plastic breaking down over time into microplastics and threatening marine life which can ingest or become entangled in them. The Marine Conservation Society is urging the UK Government to move faster on its policies to cut down plastic waste and prevent items from reaching our seas.

To find out more about the charity’s beach cleans and how to get involved, please visit mcsuk.org/beach-cleans

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Guarding Against Coral Invaders

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Protecting (Dutch) Caribbean Reefs from Unomia stolonifera

Recent reports highlight the concerning spread of the invasive soft coral, Unomia stolonifera, currently devastating Venezuela’s marine ecosystems and detected in Cuba. With the potential threat of its expansion to the (Dutch) Caribbean islands, urgent action and awareness are essential to safeguard marine biodiversity and local economies from possible catastrophic consequences.

Invasive species are animals or plants from another region of the world that don’t belong in their new environment. These species can have major ecological effects by decimating native flora or fauna. They can also cause large economic losses and impact human health. Invasive species also pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems worldwide, including the Dutch Caribbean. Among these invaders is the octocoral species Unomia stolonifera or “Pulsing Xenia”, originally from the Indo-Pacific. With its rapid growth and lack of natural predators, this species can outcompete native species and disrupt fragile marine habitats such as seagrass beds and coral reefs.

Background

The invasive soft coral U. stolonifera was first identified in 2014, off the coast of Venezuela. It is believed to have been introduced via the illegal aquarium trade.  Since this species can reproduce sexually and asexually (or fragment), even small pieces can regenerate to spread.  Once introduced it quickly took over shallow reefs and hard substrate at depths of 0-50 meters, outcompeting local corals and seagrass for space.  Follow on surveys found that this coral species exhibited average percentage cover as high as 80%, vastly outcompeting native corals. In highly colonized areas, fish are disappearing due to loss of habitats.

In 2022, during a survey conducted in Cuba by the University of Havana, an unknown octocoral was discovered which was later identified as the invasive Unomia stolonifera. It is suspected that the coral larvae arrived in ballast water from fossil fuel ships originating from Venezuela, as nearby sites adjacent to Venezuelan ports have been heavily affected by the invasion.

How to help

Prevention through continuous monitoring, particularly in high-risk areas such as marine harbors and oil facilities, is paramount. Early detection plays a pivotal role in mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera.

The public’s involvement and awareness are also vital. Local communities, recreational divers, tourists, and all stakeholders are urged to participate in early detection efforts by reporting sightings (photo, location and date) of this invasive coral to their respective Protected Area Management Organization (PMO’s)- the Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA)STINAPA BonaireCARMABI Curaçao Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF)Nature Foundation St. Maarten (NFSXM) and St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA). If an invaded area is confirmed, follow the recommendations by the local PMO’s.

Keys to Success

Despite the challenges, early detection is key to mitigating the threat posed by Unomia stolonifera. With continued vigilance, research, and community engagement, there is hope for containing this potential issue before it becomes a major threat.

About the DCNA

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports (science) communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature related (scientific) information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s news platform BioNews and through the press. This article contains the results from several scientific studies but the studies themselves are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article.

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