Shivers in the Graveyard of the Atlantic – Sharks!

July 12, 2022

Join Dr. Carol Price, Conservation Research Coordinator for the North Carolina Aquariums, as she dives into learning more about sand tiger sharks and the research used to study these iconic inhabitants off the North Carolina coast.

Waters off the North Carolina coast are important for sand tiger sharks year-round. It is known that many of the shipwrecks in the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" are gathering spots for sharks. Importantly, pregnant sand tiger sharks are found here during summer, fall and winter, suggesting a key role of this habitat in their reproductive ecology.

The NC Aquariums' citizen science research program - Spot A Shark USA – enlists the help of scuba divers, who photograph sand tiger sharks that they encounter on their adventures and then post their images to the Spot A Shark USA website. A team of aquarium scientists and students use Wildbook® software to map the unique spot patterns visible along the sides of the photographed sharks to identify individual animals. To date, there are over 2,000 individual sharks in its photo library, with more than 100 sharks that have been photographed on more than one date. Repeat records of even more individual sand tiger sharks will help track their movement and behavior over time.

Join us to learn more about how important the North Carolina coast is for this iconic and beloved shark