FORT LAUDERDALE (USA)- In contrary of their image tiger sharks do make long journeys across oceans, so scientists of Nova Southeastern University discovered.
Tiger sharks have always been thought to be a species that hugs the coastlines, and so it’s unusual to see the sharks switching between different environments. The research showed that tiger sharks travel over 4,500 miles between the warm waters of the Caribbean and the cold North Atlantic. One tiger shark travelled over 27,000 miles, longer than any other shark recorded.
The outcome was very unexpected, according to the researchers. They tagged the sharks near Bermuda. The tags transmit data every time the sharks surface, and these tags were winners, some staying with the shark for three years.
These data show that the long journeys weren’t one-offs. They happen year after year, a bit like retirees flocking south for the winter.
Why the sharks move in such great distances is still unclear. The scientists suspect that the sharks are chasing food.