26 February 2021 | News |
Scientists from ElasmoCan implemented a marine acoustic telemetry network that allowed the continuous monitoring of angelsharks in an area of more than 50 ha and to now their movements. This method, complementary to other ongoing investigations of the group, was developed to have a scientific basis in the strategies of the Special Conservation Areas (SACs) from the Natura 2000 network, and can be applied in other species and areas of interest. The research project “Monitoring network for the angelshark Squatina squatina in the SAC Costa de Sardina del Norte: creating knowledge for its conservation”, with the support from Biodiversity Foundation from the Ministry for Ecologic Transition and the Demographic Challenge and Loro Parque Fundación, revealed new knowledge about the behaviour of these sharks. The information was collected via an array of hydrophones, anchored in the bay of Sardina, that register signals from small implanted transmitters in the angelsharks. You can find more information in this infographic. The conservation potential of the SAC Sardina del Norte for angelsharks is noticeable from their resident pattern and movements within the monitored area during the study period. Knowing the role of this SAC in the species’ life cycle and the species’ conservation objective that can be achieved involves, in between others, monitoring a larger number of individuals over a prolonged period. In addition, it is possible to locate individuals during isolated searches in case there is information that they left the study area. Dr. Filip Osaer, project leader, highlighted the importance of this pioneering initiative that can reveal the movements of the individuals with and approximation and resolution so far...
22 February 2021 | News |
The researchers from ElasmoCan advertised the project “Monitoring network for the angelshark Squatina squatina in the SAC Costa de Sardina del Norte: creating knowledge for its conservation” with users from this Special Area of Conservation. A study developed with the support from the Ministry for Ecologic Transition through the Biodiversity Foundation and Loro Parque Fundación. In different chats with schoolchildren, dive centers, swimmers, and fishers, the presence and conservation of the angelshark in this SAC was emphasized. Likewise for the need to obtain new knowledge of the species’ behavior in a large area, which was collected via an array of hydrophones that register signals from small transmitters carried by the angelsharks. This method allows continues tracing within the SAC, and is used to determine its importance in the daily life of these sharks. The interest shown by the different users was encouraging to continue working in this research line. With the support from: Acknowledgement to: Continue reading Go to...
14 December 2017 | News |
Scientists from ElasmoCan were able to tag the first shark in the Canary Islands with a satellite device, thanks to the funding from Loro Parque Fundación. This will allow them to study its movement range, and preferences for depth and temperature. The tagged individual is a hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena, whose knowledge in the Islands is limited to its presence and scarce sighting information in social media. These sharks are caught in a wide range of fishery gear and with high mortality rates. Their swimming capacities and behavior makes that this occurs over extensive areas, that can cross the borders of different countries, hindering the formulation of effective conservation measures. ElasmoCan developed the research project HAMMERHEAD SHARK RESEARCH with the aim to gather basic knowledge from the species and help in the management of their local populations. The study has focused on tagging campaigns in the islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura y Lanzarote in locations where professional and recreational fishermen reported the presence of hammerheads over several days. This made it possible to confirm the presence of juveniles in these areas, and collect biological data and tissue samples, which will be used in future genetic and trophic studies. In addition, the project has expanded its research employing telemetry techniques, that allow the researcher to receive data from a distance. A male juvenile smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena was equipped with a satellite device north of the Special Area of Conservation from the marine NATURA 2000-network “Sebadales de Playa del Inglés” in collaboration with Rayco García Habas and Jonathan Fernández Ramos. Dr. Filip Osaer from ElasmoCan and...