Important Innovations

Research Reveals Shark Social Networks Source:  Reef Shark Image  Jaws Has Daily Gathering Times to Perhaps Share Information New scientific research indicates that sharks have secret lives.  They form social network communities.  Some species of sharks have social lives that endure for years.  The solitary ocean predators may not be so solitary  A team of researchers, led by Florida International University marine biologist Yannis Papastamatiou, tracked with technology, the daily habits and social behavior of 41 reef sharks in an Atoll 1,000 miles southwest of Hawaii.  What they found is amazing.  Using acoustic transmitters to track the animals and camera tags to see the interactions, they documented that the sharks form social networking communities on a daily basis that can last for years. Social Shark Communities Some of these shark communities remained together for the four years of the FIU study.  The sharks spent mornings together in groups of 20 in the same part of the reef, d