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Variation in blacktip shark movement patterns in a tropical coastal bay

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Abstract

Comparisons between shark nursery populations are limited, however recent work has shown different populations exhibit distinct space use patterns. This study examined the residency and space use of young of the year (YOY) and juvenile Australian blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus tilstoni in a northern Australian nursery using acoustic telemetry. Presence and space use patterns exhibited by C. tilstoni were highly variable among individuals. In contrast to other shark nursery populations, the majority of YOY individuals left the nursery area within three months of release, while most juveniles exhibited long-term residency (6 months - 1 year). In addition, YOY individuals used smaller amounts of space than juveniles. Variable activity space size and location indicated individuals used different areas and often moved into new areas. High individual variation in juvenile populations is atypical for carcharhinid sharks, and contrasts with other nursery species, including the common blacktip shark C. limbatus, which are known to exhibit residency and consistent space use patterns in nursery areas. The unique patterns observed among C. tilstoni may be due to a number of factors, including differences in nursery habitat and population structure, or strategies to improve survival. This study highlights the importance of investigating nursery behaviour across different habitats and populations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all the staff and students at the Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture including Merritt Adkins, Fernanda de Faria, Mario Espinoza, Madeline Green, Lauren Meyer, Jonathan Smart, and countless volunteers for their help and support of this project. We would also like to thank Vinay Udaywer for field and statistical assistance. Primary financial support came from the National Environmental Research Program awarded to MRH and CAS. All research was conducted in accordance with James Cook University (JCU) animal ethics permit A1566 and Great Barrier Reef (G11/346181.1) and QDAF (144482) permits for animal collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture &College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia

    S. E. M. Munroe, C. A. Simpfendorfer & M. R. Heupel

  2. Australian Rivers Institute, School of the Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, 4111, Australia

    S. E. M. Munroe

  3. Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia

    M. R. Heupel

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  1. S. E. M. Munroe
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  2. C. A. Simpfendorfer
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  3. M. R. Heupel
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Correspondence to S. E. M. Munroe.

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Munroe, S.E.M., Simpfendorfer, C.A. & Heupel, M.R. Variation in blacktip shark movement patterns in a tropical coastal bay. Environ Biol Fish 99, 377–389 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-016-0480-2

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