University of Haifa researchers have been awarded a $100,000 National Geographic Wayfinder Grant to track the movement of sharks along the eastern Mediterranean Sea, to try to understand why the species thrives along the basin despite the impact of climate change on the region.
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The study builds on established collaborations across the eastern Mediterranean Sea to combine research with education for long-term conservation outcomes. The Wayfinder grant is crucial to pinpointing the movement and reproduction of sharks and why they return to specific hotspots year after year.
Using a range of minimally invasive satellite tags (including a "Birth Alert Tag" to find parturition grounds of sharks), a network of fixed acoustic receivers, a suite of biological analyses, and the collection of environmental metadata, researchers hope to find where sharks are migrating and residing year-round in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The announcement of the National Geographic grant comes in advance of the Discovery Channel's popular annual "Shark Week," which takes place from July 23-30 this year.
"Through National Geographic's influential platform, we can scale up our story to reach the hearts and minds of scientists, children, and decision makers alike," National Geographic Explorer Dr. Aviad Scheinin of University of Haifa's Morris Kahn Marine Research Station and head of its Marine Apex Predator Laboratory, who leads the study, said. "This is a story about endangered species at the brink, and our ability to discover the secrets about where they are most likely to survive under changing climatic conditions. It can also highlight humanity's ability to protect and sustain these populations for future generations."
