Tiger Shark Tracking Reveals the Massive Migration of Deadly Predators

Tiger sharks are dangerous and deadly predators. Yet the behavior of these animals has largely remained shrouded in mystery because they are difficult to track as long-distance travelers. Now, scientists have revealed the first ever continuous, two or more-year satellite tagging tracks for these animals.

Researchers have long believed that tiger sharks are coastal species. In reality, tiger sharks make more than 7,500 kilometer, round-trip journeys every year between two vastly different ecosystems. They journey from the open waters of the Caribbean to the open waters of the mid-North Atlantic. This finding could have significant conservation implications.

"As apex predators, the presence of tiger sharks-and other large sharks-is vital to maintain the proper health and balance of our oceans," said Mahmood Shivji, one of the researchers, in a news release. "That's why it's so important to conserve them, and understanding their migratory behavior is essential to achieving this goal."

The satellite tags revealed that male tiger sharks in the Atlantic regularly spend their winters in the Caribbean islands, including places like the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and Anguilla. During summers, they travel far into the North Atlantic and can travel as far north as Connecticut.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that the sharks followed the same pattern each year and returned to almost the same small area in the Caribbean each time. It seems that the sharks have their own preferred wintering spot.

Yet why the sharks journey so far north is more complicated. The researchers found that how far they go seems to be guided by the avoidance of colder temperatures. However, it's possible they journey to the north to feed on young loggerhead turtles that also migrate north.

"Understanding how these animals use the oceans is the first step toward effective conservation," said Guy Harvey, one of the researchers. "Protecting migratory species is a great challenge because they can be found in such a wide area. Protecting the areas where animals, such as tiger sharks, spend the most time is a tractable goal once those areas have been identified."

The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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