New research has found that five key shark species found in reef habitats are at higher risk of extinction than previously thought, mainly due to overfishing. Published in Science, the study indicates that gray reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus), nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and Caribbean reef […]
In a major boost towards strengthening the scope of cross-border remittances into India, the much-awaited Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) has been activated for Indian expats living in the GCC region.
When marine ecologist Katie Flowers first started conducting research at Glovers Reef Marine Reserve, a marine protected area (MPA) in Belize, she found a thriving population of Caribbean reef sharks. Then, about six years ago, shark numbers started to plummet across the MPA. “We weren’t exactly expecting them to decline,” Flowers of Florida International University […]
Human impacts leave reefs short on sharks and long on moray eels
A new study found that moray eels are more abundant on reefs where sharks are absent due to human pressures.
The paper hypothesizes that moray eels might be benefiting from a reduction in predators and competition for food, although this hasn’t been proven.
The authors say a lot more research is needed to assess the relationship between sharks and moray eels, and to understand the ecological role moray eels play in the marine environment.
When Demian Chapman and his colleague first started setting up underwater cameras on reefs in 2015, the aim was to capture a lot of shark video. But sometimes they got moray eels instead. Particularly at reefs where sharks were no longer present.