tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1500630830405346475.post8844448546474708128..comments2023-12-19T04:55:46.401-08:00Comments on Norbert Wu Blogs About Photography, Diving, Travel, and Stuff: Is Tagging of Wildlife Always Justified? What If Tagging Studies Disturb Animals So Much That They Die or Leave Their Nests? Norbert Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14468652308632454334noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1500630830405346475.post-28840437025843311972015-03-04T07:26:51.056-08:002015-03-04T07:26:51.056-08:00Hi Norbert,
Please contact me, I will forward you...Hi Norbert,<br /><br />Please contact me, I will forward you additional pictures of the shark in question with the bite mark (as seen in the latest picture you posted, but just barely). Trust me it is 100% a bite mark and from the earlier pictures you will see quite clearly it is. One of the dive boats here in Bimini calls that shark "Bite Back" which I can't help but like. The Shark Lab has a different name for this shark. I can tell you there are no other researchers here catching the sharks and gluing tags to their backs.<br /><br />The other shark in your picture is carrying an acoustic tag that was placed by a free diver for the Shark Lab. There are dozens of underwater receivers around Bimini tracking that shark's presence. There are hundreds if not thousands more in other places in the Bahamas and the entire eastern seaboard of the USA that are also "listening" for and recording the presence of these sharks (and many other species)<br /><br />In full disclosure, I use to manage the Shark Lab in Bimini but now I have no direct involvement in their tagging studies with the hammerheads. Of course I still know what is going on, which sharks are around, what tags (and their purpose) are being used so I like to think I am a credible source. I go out to help them from time to time as well. I however do not represent the Shark Lab so I just want that to be clear. <br /><br />Contact me at sean.g.williams@gmail.com<br /><br />Seannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1500630830405346475.post-24861939321347578142015-03-03T20:53:37.663-08:002015-03-03T20:53:37.663-08:00Hi Norbert,
The white patch is indeed a healing b...Hi Norbert,<br /><br />The white patch is indeed a healing bite wound. There are actually two separate Great Hammerheads frequenting Bimini with similar wounds. I have photos of the "white patch" when it was less healed, and you can see the teeth marks around the edges. <br /><br />The Bimini SharkLab has not hooked or captured any of the Great Hammerheads you've seen, and to my knowledge no other researchers are utilizing this site. As you likely know, Great Hammerheads are very susceptible to capture stress, so all of the work is being conducted on free swimming (though obviously baited) animals.<br /><br />Lastly, I think it's terribly unfortunate that the poorly thought out or excessive practices of a few researchers are being painted as the norm in this discussion. I've seen multiple film teams severely stress and even kill animals in an attempt to get footage, but I would never generalize that this is the norm, or suggest that all filmmakers or photographers are this careless. The same generalization is just as unfair about researchers.<br /><br />Regarding the tags, just recently, the Great Hammerhead missed being protected under the Endangered Species Act in large part because data on the species is "severely lacking." Objectively speaking, what is more likely to result in better protections for this species, thorough data on their life history, habitat usage, and migrations, or beautiful photographs and videos of unmarked individuals? I think it is the former.<br /><br />No disrespect intended, I just find this divide between researchers and divers to be very bizarre when the ultimate goal of both groups is often so similar.<br /><br />Regards, <br />Grant Grant Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11247789037954238769noreply@blogger.com