How sharks sense 'bad' weather coming, and where they go to hide
Shark researcher Dr. Neil Hammerschlag is gearing up for another season of cage diving with sharks off the coast of Nova Scotia with Atlantic Shark Expeditions.
“The physiology of these sharks is temperature dependent; and different species have different preferences," Hammerschlag tells The Weather Network.
The marine ecologist says one pattern that emerged during his inaugural season last year as the first cage diving operation in Canada was how weather-dependant shark sightings were.
“It appears sharks have the ability to sense drops in barometric pressure," Hammerschlag explains. "In particular, in the wake of Hurricane Lee which hit [the Nova Scotia] coastline, the great whites disappeared.”
Dr. Neil Hammerschlag is a marine ecologist and shark researcher based out of Nova Scotia, Canada. He is also President of Atlantic Shark Expeditions and Executive Director of the Shark Research Foundation. (The Weather Network)
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So, where exactly do the sharks swim to when they sense bad weather is coming? Hammerschlag thinks it’s off to deeper water where they can escape the impacts of the pressure.
The sightings stopped five days before Hurricane Lee hit the province of Nova Scotia and their absence lasted for the five days following.
In total, Hammerschlag observed 36 great white sharks and hundreds of blue sharks last year and he hopes his sightings data will help build a baseline to gauge how many sharks are out there off the Canadian province.
“Ocean climate plays such an important role in the sharks behaviour because their biology and physiology is linked to temperatures and they’re likely swimming around following different ocean frontal systems and edges of warm water because these areas are usually productive upwelling areas, lots of nutrients,” he says.
Atlantic Shark Expeditions was established in 2023 by Hammerschlag to provide unparalleled opportunities for the public to experience, discover, and help protect the wonders of sharks through ecotourism and citizen science. This year, the expedition will depart from the Halifax harbour. Click here to learn more.
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(Header image of great white shark courtesy of Ken Kiefer 2 via Getty Images. Stock photo used for illustration purposes only. Creative #: 1322459029)
