The Largest Fish in the Sea:
Unforgettable Whale Sharks, Can We Change Their Fate?
By: Autumn Homer, Shark Team One
Well known shark "Rooster" of the Afuera whale shark aggregation has severe dorsal fin injury.
Crystal clear water that you can see straight to the bottom, taking away all fear from the depths below. The translucent liquid reflects perfectly off the sky and creates an exquisite shimmering blue invitation to jump right in. In the summer months, the waters off Isla Mujeres are 84 degrees Fahrenheit, warm and inviting not only to tourists, but an abundance of wildlife that migrate here year after year. From whale sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles, the coastal waters off Mexico are hotspots for these animals to congregate.
Isla Mujeres is a small island off Cancun, Mexico, right on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and is a part of Mesoamerica. With less than 2% of the world's territory, Mesoamerica accounts for 12% of the world's biological wealth, 8% of the world's mangroves and 31% of its surface are declared as Natural Protected Areas.[1] It is because of this vast amount of wildlife that organizations like Shark Team One, are working with local communities to raise awareness and advocate for change of government policies to protect local wildlife, and the livelihoods of local stakeholders.
Every year Shark Team One travels to Isla Mujeres with groups of citizen scientists to study the populations of whale sharks that emerge there each year. The waters here draw an estimated 300 sharks or more in a season. The smallest organisms in the sea, a mix of ample plankton and the spawning of fish eggs, attract the largest fish in the ocean to these Mexican waters. The sharks come to the surface to feed on this local phenomenon. Part of Shark Team One’s research is working to identify and assess movement and changes to whale shark food sources by measuring biomass of economically important bonito, grouper and snapper eggs via ichthyoplankton surveys.
Another reason the sharks come to the surface is to regulate their body temperature. Scientists observed that whale sharks spent regular intervals at the surface between diving deep, hundreds of feet below the surface. Curious as to why a fish that does not need to breath air would do this, they started to research what the reason for this could be. Since these fish are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is similar to the surrounding water temperature, they cannot regulate their body internally. This led scientists to believe another reason these fish rise to the surface, is to get warmed up after spending time at deeper, colder depths.[2]
Unfortunately, spending time near the surface has caused problems for whale sharks. Since they prefer to roam in shallower seas at about 50 meters in depth, they are particularly vulnerable to ship strikes. Shark Team One’s research with whale sharks tracks sharks of the Afuera aggregation off Isla Mujeres, Mexico using satellite technology and aerial surveys to study movements of the sharks and coordinates of commercial vessel activity to identify areas of risk and collisions. Findings from the data show most whale shark movements overlap with commercial vessel traffic and over half of whale sharks in the study group have been struck by large vessels. This data is being used to inform whale shark conservation policy in Mexico and may help explain why whale shark populations in this region and internationally are at risk. Over the last 75 years populations have been declining by more than 50%. The whale shark is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN.
While these facts may seem dire, there is still hope. Sylvia Earle once said, “The greatest threat to the ocean, and thus to ourselves, is ignorance. But we can do something about that.” It is through education, awareness, advocacy and action-based solutions that change can be implemented, and that is exactly what Shark Team One is doing through the "Heads Up Fins Up Initiative". By educating shipping and consumer good companies on whale shark surface and feeding behaviors, the goal is to create and amend policies for shipping practices near marine protected areas known for shark aggregation in places like the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Yucatan Channel. Companies who take a corporate pledge, commit to creating less impact and following established governmental and conservation guidelines by agreeing to reduce speed through mapped aggregation areas, follow zoning regulations, reporting whale shark sightings, pledging to reduce wastes and adhere to climate change protocols administered by the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization, and support the local Yucatan artisanal fishing and ecotourism economies.[3] Arturo Delfín and his daughter Amaya Delfín, said, “Economically there is a huge impact during the whale shark season, allowing the fishing sector to profit and to learn and practice preservation instead of extraction. The cultural impact is probably the educational knowledge needed to be able to be involved in the tourist industry. It means that we have the opportunity and responsibility to share with other cultures and our own community the importance of being aware of such an amazing sea creature in need of protection. Together, we carry and pass the awareness to all visitors as well as locals, the importance of respecting the regulations and laws for the protection and well-being for our beloved 'whalies'...we must honor that responsibility.”
One of the most famous ocean explorers Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said, “We only protect what we love, we only love what we understand, and we only understand what we are taught.” This is why education plays such a crucial role in conservation. By teaching people of all ages and instilling a passion and love for the ocean and its creatures, the desire to protect them becomes automatic. Shark Team One also hosts “Virtual Junior Research Expeditions”, where students learn about whale sharks, careers in marine biology, write essays, draw sharks, and are taught what they can do to help save whale sharks.
Seeing these gentle giants up close is an unforgettable experience. They are huge, yet graceful. Slow, but when compared to a human swimmer, quite fast. Mysterious, yet beautiful. The impact they have upon seeing them is as big as their bodies themselves. It is exhilarating to have the ocean's largest fish in the sea swim right up alongside you, barely even noticing your existence, except on the rare occasion you notice their beady eye swivel up and down, making you wonder what they are thinking. Have they noticed the impacts the human world is having on their species? Whether they have or not, the data is undeniable, and changes must be implemented to protect these ocean giants, so that hopefully, one day their status will no longer be endangered.
[1] https://www.iucn.org/our-work/region/mexico-central-america-and-caribbean
[2] https://phys.org/news/2012-10-whale-sharks-surface.html
[3] https://www.sharkteamone.org/heads-up-fins-up-initiative.html
Isla Mujeres is a small island off Cancun, Mexico, right on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and is a part of Mesoamerica. With less than 2% of the world's territory, Mesoamerica accounts for 12% of the world's biological wealth, 8% of the world's mangroves and 31% of its surface are declared as Natural Protected Areas.[1] It is because of this vast amount of wildlife that organizations like Shark Team One, are working with local communities to raise awareness and advocate for change of government policies to protect local wildlife, and the livelihoods of local stakeholders.
Every year Shark Team One travels to Isla Mujeres with groups of citizen scientists to study the populations of whale sharks that emerge there each year. The waters here draw an estimated 300 sharks or more in a season. The smallest organisms in the sea, a mix of ample plankton and the spawning of fish eggs, attract the largest fish in the ocean to these Mexican waters. The sharks come to the surface to feed on this local phenomenon. Part of Shark Team One’s research is working to identify and assess movement and changes to whale shark food sources by measuring biomass of economically important bonito, grouper and snapper eggs via ichthyoplankton surveys.
Another reason the sharks come to the surface is to regulate their body temperature. Scientists observed that whale sharks spent regular intervals at the surface between diving deep, hundreds of feet below the surface. Curious as to why a fish that does not need to breath air would do this, they started to research what the reason for this could be. Since these fish are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is similar to the surrounding water temperature, they cannot regulate their body internally. This led scientists to believe another reason these fish rise to the surface, is to get warmed up after spending time at deeper, colder depths.[2]
Unfortunately, spending time near the surface has caused problems for whale sharks. Since they prefer to roam in shallower seas at about 50 meters in depth, they are particularly vulnerable to ship strikes. Shark Team One’s research with whale sharks tracks sharks of the Afuera aggregation off Isla Mujeres, Mexico using satellite technology and aerial surveys to study movements of the sharks and coordinates of commercial vessel activity to identify areas of risk and collisions. Findings from the data show most whale shark movements overlap with commercial vessel traffic and over half of whale sharks in the study group have been struck by large vessels. This data is being used to inform whale shark conservation policy in Mexico and may help explain why whale shark populations in this region and internationally are at risk. Over the last 75 years populations have been declining by more than 50%. The whale shark is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN.
While these facts may seem dire, there is still hope. Sylvia Earle once said, “The greatest threat to the ocean, and thus to ourselves, is ignorance. But we can do something about that.” It is through education, awareness, advocacy and action-based solutions that change can be implemented, and that is exactly what Shark Team One is doing through the "Heads Up Fins Up Initiative". By educating shipping and consumer good companies on whale shark surface and feeding behaviors, the goal is to create and amend policies for shipping practices near marine protected areas known for shark aggregation in places like the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Yucatan Channel. Companies who take a corporate pledge, commit to creating less impact and following established governmental and conservation guidelines by agreeing to reduce speed through mapped aggregation areas, follow zoning regulations, reporting whale shark sightings, pledging to reduce wastes and adhere to climate change protocols administered by the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization, and support the local Yucatan artisanal fishing and ecotourism economies.[3] Arturo Delfín and his daughter Amaya Delfín, said, “Economically there is a huge impact during the whale shark season, allowing the fishing sector to profit and to learn and practice preservation instead of extraction. The cultural impact is probably the educational knowledge needed to be able to be involved in the tourist industry. It means that we have the opportunity and responsibility to share with other cultures and our own community the importance of being aware of such an amazing sea creature in need of protection. Together, we carry and pass the awareness to all visitors as well as locals, the importance of respecting the regulations and laws for the protection and well-being for our beloved 'whalies'...we must honor that responsibility.”
One of the most famous ocean explorers Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said, “We only protect what we love, we only love what we understand, and we only understand what we are taught.” This is why education plays such a crucial role in conservation. By teaching people of all ages and instilling a passion and love for the ocean and its creatures, the desire to protect them becomes automatic. Shark Team One also hosts “Virtual Junior Research Expeditions”, where students learn about whale sharks, careers in marine biology, write essays, draw sharks, and are taught what they can do to help save whale sharks.
Seeing these gentle giants up close is an unforgettable experience. They are huge, yet graceful. Slow, but when compared to a human swimmer, quite fast. Mysterious, yet beautiful. The impact they have upon seeing them is as big as their bodies themselves. It is exhilarating to have the ocean's largest fish in the sea swim right up alongside you, barely even noticing your existence, except on the rare occasion you notice their beady eye swivel up and down, making you wonder what they are thinking. Have they noticed the impacts the human world is having on their species? Whether they have or not, the data is undeniable, and changes must be implemented to protect these ocean giants, so that hopefully, one day their status will no longer be endangered.
[1] https://www.iucn.org/our-work/region/mexico-central-america-and-caribbean
[2] https://phys.org/news/2012-10-whale-sharks-surface.html
[3] https://www.sharkteamone.org/heads-up-fins-up-initiative.html
The Largest Fish in the Sea: Expeditions of Discovery and How We Have the Power to Change Our World
By: Autumn Homer, Shark Team One
The largest fish in the sea can reach up to 40 feet or more in length, and weigh about 20.6 tons. Relative to the size of a school bus, it is hard to imagine these creatures would be born only about 16 inches long. Although, not much is known about them when they are this size, or even when they are adults, numerous questions about whale sharks could pile up to reach the size of the whale sharks themselves. Research groups like Shark Team One, strive to learn more about these creatures. The solving of these mysteries has the potential to save the species. If we understand more about them, we can better understand what needs to be protected and why.
Current research shows that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning they produce eggs, but the eggs hatch inside of the mother instead of in the water.
The females, then give birth to live
young. It is assumed that pregnant females go on long migrations to the middle of the ocean, or remote islands for this to occur. A baby whale shark is a rare sight, and very little is known about their lives growing up. Where they go from the time they are very young, to adulthood remains a mystery.
This is why Shark Team One’s last expedition was so unique. The team saw multiple sightings of juvenile whale sharks. In the shallow waters of Isla Contoy, they spotted a shark that was around five feet long, and they saw multiple sharks around 12 to 15 feet long in the deeper blue water of the marine sanctuary area. Local conservationists who have been watching the populations in that region for years agreed that it was very unusual to see that many very young sharks.
Whale sharks are currently vulnerable to extinction. According to the IUCN, the Indo-Pacific population of whale shark is thought to have reduced 63% over the past 75 years. The Atlantic population is thought to have been reduced more than 30%. This species has been on the IUCN Red List of endangered species since 2000 due to several factors working against them. From habitat destruction caused by pollution, climate change, oil and gas developments and spills, the oceans they inhabit are no longer the same as they once were. These factors may have an impact on multiple aspects of these sharks' lives. For example, their migration patterns may change if the water temperatures no longer remain the same, or if food is no longer available in toxic environments such as oil spill sites, or dead zones.
Another threat against these animals is being a product of bycatch. Commonly caught in large fishing nets, these sharks along with multiple other species of sharks, rays, dolphins and sea turtles end up dying in a fisherman’s pursuit of catching a large quantity of fish at one time. And while some whale sharks are caught by accident, in some parts of the world they are intentionally caught and illegally traded. Their meat, fins, and oil are in high demand in some Asian countries leaving these animals highly vulnerable to extinction.
During the months of May through September, over 800 whale sharks can congregate in one area to feed on the plankton saturated hot spots off the Yucatan Peninsula. It is during these prime feeding months that scientists and researchers have the best opportunities to learn more about these gentle giants.
Sightings of whale sharks like "Rooster" give researchers a better understanding of challenges sharks in the wild may face. On one of Shark Team One’s August expeditions, Rooster was spotted several times. His name comes from the bird like appearance of his dorsal fin which is suspected to have been hit by a large cargo ship's boat propeller. Sadly, this is becoming a more common occurrence, due to out dated shipping lanes and marine reserves that aren’t quite large enough.
Angela Smith, founder of Shark Team One states, “Much of the Afuera zone and the whale shark feeding area is outside the Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve. The reserve was created in 2009, but its boundaries have not been amended to keep up with where the whale sharks have been aggregating for many years since its creation. Some of the busiest shipping lanes in the Caribbean run very close to the Yucatan Peninsula. Vessels can come near the whale sharks without violating the marine protected area rules”. This can create a dangerous situation for the sharks. If people want to be able to keep seeing these beautiful creatures up-close, work needs to be done to have shipping lanes moved further offshore, and marine reserves need to expand.
While whale sharks face most of their threats from human caused issues, they also have biological components that don’t exactly help them fight back. When it comes to breeding whale sharks are a K-strategy species, meaning they are a large, long-lived species that don’t reproduce often, as well as take about 20 years to reach sexual maturity. These adaptations used to be beneficial, but in today’s world with so many sharks dying at faster rates than before, these animals' populations are unable to keep up.
While these things combined may make it seem as if there isn’t hope left for the whale shark, it is important to remember that most of those issues have the ability to change. While the whale shark may not be able to change its biological reproducing process, we can change our habits. We can do simple things such as recycle our trash, or only use eco-friendly cleaning products that won’t harm the ocean when they go down our drains.
We can get involved in local policy making where we have a say in whether our grocery stores use plastic bags, to prevent them from ending up in a shark, or any other creature’s digestive system. We can only buy from companies who commit to running their business based on sustainable values, we can educate people around us on these issues, and we can support research projects being done to solve these problems. The whale shark may be the biggest fish in the sea, but we have something a little better. While we might not have size, we have the power to rationalize and adapt our actions to change the world, and ocean that surrounds us.
Current research shows that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning they produce eggs, but the eggs hatch inside of the mother instead of in the water.
The females, then give birth to live
young. It is assumed that pregnant females go on long migrations to the middle of the ocean, or remote islands for this to occur. A baby whale shark is a rare sight, and very little is known about their lives growing up. Where they go from the time they are very young, to adulthood remains a mystery.
This is why Shark Team One’s last expedition was so unique. The team saw multiple sightings of juvenile whale sharks. In the shallow waters of Isla Contoy, they spotted a shark that was around five feet long, and they saw multiple sharks around 12 to 15 feet long in the deeper blue water of the marine sanctuary area. Local conservationists who have been watching the populations in that region for years agreed that it was very unusual to see that many very young sharks.
Whale sharks are currently vulnerable to extinction. According to the IUCN, the Indo-Pacific population of whale shark is thought to have reduced 63% over the past 75 years. The Atlantic population is thought to have been reduced more than 30%. This species has been on the IUCN Red List of endangered species since 2000 due to several factors working against them. From habitat destruction caused by pollution, climate change, oil and gas developments and spills, the oceans they inhabit are no longer the same as they once were. These factors may have an impact on multiple aspects of these sharks' lives. For example, their migration patterns may change if the water temperatures no longer remain the same, or if food is no longer available in toxic environments such as oil spill sites, or dead zones.
Another threat against these animals is being a product of bycatch. Commonly caught in large fishing nets, these sharks along with multiple other species of sharks, rays, dolphins and sea turtles end up dying in a fisherman’s pursuit of catching a large quantity of fish at one time. And while some whale sharks are caught by accident, in some parts of the world they are intentionally caught and illegally traded. Their meat, fins, and oil are in high demand in some Asian countries leaving these animals highly vulnerable to extinction.
During the months of May through September, over 800 whale sharks can congregate in one area to feed on the plankton saturated hot spots off the Yucatan Peninsula. It is during these prime feeding months that scientists and researchers have the best opportunities to learn more about these gentle giants.
Sightings of whale sharks like "Rooster" give researchers a better understanding of challenges sharks in the wild may face. On one of Shark Team One’s August expeditions, Rooster was spotted several times. His name comes from the bird like appearance of his dorsal fin which is suspected to have been hit by a large cargo ship's boat propeller. Sadly, this is becoming a more common occurrence, due to out dated shipping lanes and marine reserves that aren’t quite large enough.
Angela Smith, founder of Shark Team One states, “Much of the Afuera zone and the whale shark feeding area is outside the Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve. The reserve was created in 2009, but its boundaries have not been amended to keep up with where the whale sharks have been aggregating for many years since its creation. Some of the busiest shipping lanes in the Caribbean run very close to the Yucatan Peninsula. Vessels can come near the whale sharks without violating the marine protected area rules”. This can create a dangerous situation for the sharks. If people want to be able to keep seeing these beautiful creatures up-close, work needs to be done to have shipping lanes moved further offshore, and marine reserves need to expand.
While whale sharks face most of their threats from human caused issues, they also have biological components that don’t exactly help them fight back. When it comes to breeding whale sharks are a K-strategy species, meaning they are a large, long-lived species that don’t reproduce often, as well as take about 20 years to reach sexual maturity. These adaptations used to be beneficial, but in today’s world with so many sharks dying at faster rates than before, these animals' populations are unable to keep up.
While these things combined may make it seem as if there isn’t hope left for the whale shark, it is important to remember that most of those issues have the ability to change. While the whale shark may not be able to change its biological reproducing process, we can change our habits. We can do simple things such as recycle our trash, or only use eco-friendly cleaning products that won’t harm the ocean when they go down our drains.
We can get involved in local policy making where we have a say in whether our grocery stores use plastic bags, to prevent them from ending up in a shark, or any other creature’s digestive system. We can only buy from companies who commit to running their business based on sustainable values, we can educate people around us on these issues, and we can support research projects being done to solve these problems. The whale shark may be the biggest fish in the sea, but we have something a little better. While we might not have size, we have the power to rationalize and adapt our actions to change the world, and ocean that surrounds us.
The Largest Fish in the Sea: Scientific Discovery, Beauty and Perhaps a Glimpse into the Unknown
By: Autumn Homer, Shark Team One
When most people think of something big, it is often associated with something scary. A big mountain can be associated with fear of heights, a big city can be paired with fear of getting lost, and a big animal is often paired with fears of people being attacked. However, the largest fish in the sea has never even hurt a human being before, or even another marine animal. This enormous animal can reach the lengths of a school bus, by only eating the smallest creatures in the ocean. This gentle giant is a whale shark.
Whale sharks are found in all tropical seas. Scientists believe by spending their time in warmer surface waters, they can conserve energy that would otherwise be used to stay warm. This tactic, along with their ability to be negatively buoyant (meaning they can sink to the bottom of the ocean to reach their food) is one of the reasons it is believed they can grow so big. By conserving its energy and warmth, the whale shark can forage for food for longer durations of time, thus allowing it the fuel to grow.
Another way they stay warm is their organs are surrounded by huge masses of white muscle. The bigger the amount of muscle, the longer the whale can stay insulated for. Scientists believe this is one of the reasons why these sharks have evolved to grow so big.
Whale sharks have existed for millions of years, dating back to the Jurassic period. While the scientific method is now the key way in discovering why things are the way they are, people used to fill in the gaping questions of the world with stories. The tribes of Mozambique share a story where one of the gods was visiting earth and saw
a whale shark swimming under his boat. Mesmerized by its grace and beauty, he showered the fish with silver coins which turned into spots all over its body.
While this tale is fun to hear, scientists know the real reason behind the spots. These white spots and stripes against their dark blue/gray skin allow the animal to camouflage. The spots and stripes reflect and disperse light, this makes it harder for them to be seen by predators. Like most pelagic fish, whale sharks have countershading. This is when their bellies are lighter and tops are darker. This allows them to blend in to the ocean, no matter which angle they are being seen from. When a predator is looking up at a whale shark the white bellies blend in with the lighter water, and if a predator is looking down at the animal its dark back blends in with the depths of the ocean.
While they may blend in well with their surroundings all whale sharks are unique. Just like a human fingerprint, each shark has an area just behind their gill slits where their markings are completely different. These different markings are being tracked by scientists, and Shark Team One is working on being able to identify and research specific animals on their annual migration off the Yucatan Peninsula. They have a software app developed by FastField by Merge Mobile which is helping them capture ecology information about the sharks. Software such as this allows scientists to learn about the species by capturing data to better track whale shark movement patterns, global population structure and size. After all, very little is known about the species and in recent years scientists have noticed a decline in numbers of wild populations.
More research must be done to protect the oceans gentle giant. After all, big doesn’t have to mean scary. A big mountain can also lead to beautiful views, a big city can provide ample opportunities and a big animal can play an important role in an even bigger ocean ecosystem, and provide humans with scientific discovery, beauty, and give us a glimpse into the unknown.
Whale sharks are found in all tropical seas. Scientists believe by spending their time in warmer surface waters, they can conserve energy that would otherwise be used to stay warm. This tactic, along with their ability to be negatively buoyant (meaning they can sink to the bottom of the ocean to reach their food) is one of the reasons it is believed they can grow so big. By conserving its energy and warmth, the whale shark can forage for food for longer durations of time, thus allowing it the fuel to grow.
Another way they stay warm is their organs are surrounded by huge masses of white muscle. The bigger the amount of muscle, the longer the whale can stay insulated for. Scientists believe this is one of the reasons why these sharks have evolved to grow so big.
Whale sharks have existed for millions of years, dating back to the Jurassic period. While the scientific method is now the key way in discovering why things are the way they are, people used to fill in the gaping questions of the world with stories. The tribes of Mozambique share a story where one of the gods was visiting earth and saw
a whale shark swimming under his boat. Mesmerized by its grace and beauty, he showered the fish with silver coins which turned into spots all over its body.
While this tale is fun to hear, scientists know the real reason behind the spots. These white spots and stripes against their dark blue/gray skin allow the animal to camouflage. The spots and stripes reflect and disperse light, this makes it harder for them to be seen by predators. Like most pelagic fish, whale sharks have countershading. This is when their bellies are lighter and tops are darker. This allows them to blend in to the ocean, no matter which angle they are being seen from. When a predator is looking up at a whale shark the white bellies blend in with the lighter water, and if a predator is looking down at the animal its dark back blends in with the depths of the ocean.
While they may blend in well with their surroundings all whale sharks are unique. Just like a human fingerprint, each shark has an area just behind their gill slits where their markings are completely different. These different markings are being tracked by scientists, and Shark Team One is working on being able to identify and research specific animals on their annual migration off the Yucatan Peninsula. They have a software app developed by FastField by Merge Mobile which is helping them capture ecology information about the sharks. Software such as this allows scientists to learn about the species by capturing data to better track whale shark movement patterns, global population structure and size. After all, very little is known about the species and in recent years scientists have noticed a decline in numbers of wild populations.
More research must be done to protect the oceans gentle giant. After all, big doesn’t have to mean scary. A big mountain can also lead to beautiful views, a big city can provide ample opportunities and a big animal can play an important role in an even bigger ocean ecosystem, and provide humans with scientific discovery, beauty, and give us a glimpse into the unknown.
Autumn Homer is an alumna of Stetson University, where she earned a degree in Environmental Studies and Communications, complemented by a minor in Psychology. Her lifelong passion for animals has led her to volunteer at various rescue organizations. Autumn has accumulated valuable experience in Education at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Development and Fundraising at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, and Marketing at Eau Palm Beach Resort and Spa before joining Chacka Marketing as a Digital Media Specialist. When not at work, she enjoys spending her leisure time reading, writing, or exploring the waters. Autumn is also a dedicated volunteer for Shark Team One, contributing as one of their conservation and ecology writers.