Congratulations, it’s a group of baby shark babies! Shark science is taking a major step forward with an innovative device called the Birth Alert Tag, or BAT, that tracks where pregnant sharks give birth to their babies.
Knowing where and when sharks give birth can help with conservation and protection measures. “We’ve been trying to do this since we started studying sharks,” Arizona State University marine biologist James Sulikowski said in a statement Wednesday. “This is our holy grail. We’ve really advanced the science of sharks, 20, 30, 40 years.”
The birthing alert tag is a small device that goes along with the flight when a shark is giving birth.
James Solikowski
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Keeper of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species – A 2021 study found that approximately 36% of the 536 shark species assessed are threatened with extinction. Overfishing and the demands of the shark fin trade are adding to the pressure. Shark fins are used in medicinal preparations or as food.
a Paper published in Science Advances Wed details use BAT satellite device in pregnant sharks. The researchers capture a shark and then insert the BAT through the animal’s cloacal opening (where the babies come out). The small, egg-shaped device is suspended in the shark until it gives birth. It then pops up and transmits the birth announcement with the time and place.
The team successfully used the device on tiger sharks and hammerheads, two species of shark known to travel long distances.
Scientists also learned something new about sand sharks, discovering that they love giving birth in abandoned wrecks. “It was a complete surprise,” Solikowski said. “For most shark species, we have no idea where they are born or how far they must travel to the habitats that are essential for their survival.”
The research team believes that BAT plays a huge role in shark conservation. “Once habitats are discovered,” ASU said, efforts will be made to protect those areas, either by creating sanctuaries or expanding areas already designated for this purpose.
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