← Back
Hammerhead Shark research: Knowledge from the populations in the Canary Islands
HAMMERHEAD SHARK RESEARCH is a project that studies hammerhead sharks Sphyrna spp in the Canary Islands with the aim to contribute scientific base knowledge of these species in an understudied distribution. Information of hammerheads in this distribution is limited to the presence of two species (S. lewini and S. zygaena), isolated records about behavior, and scant sighting reports by citizens in social media. Satellite telemetry (archival PSAT, towed and fin-mounted SPOT), using the ARGOS-network for data collection, is employed to get insights in the behavior of juvenile S. zygaena, and to understand the role of the coastal areas in the Canary Islands in the life cycle of these sharks. Future data collection and subsequent analysis is required to document the first local knowledge that can help in effective decision making for the species.
Authors:
Filip Osaer & Krupskaya Narváez
ELASMOCAN, Asociación Canaria para la Investigación y Conservación de los Elasmobranquios
Fundación Colombiana para la Investigación y Conservación de Tiburones y Rayas, SQUALUS