🌍 The Bahamas: A Shark Sanctuary Under Threat

Chris and Brendan join their friend and colleague Dr. Matt Smukall, Director of the Bimini Biological Field Station @BiminiSharkLab to discuss all things shark and ray in The Bahamas, including the ongoing battle to save the mangrove forests of North Bimini from unsustainable, short-sighted development. These mangroves provide an outsized benefit to local wildlife, ecotourism, and fisheries in the western Bahamas, and trading them for a golf course or a few condos is a terrible mistake.

Thanks to:

📸 @Sharkman_Dan – Filming and Editing

📸 Wyatt Albert @wadewithwyatt – Photo and Video Contributions

🔗 Follow us for more shark science and ocean stories:

📸 Instagram: @shark_docs

🎯 Website: www.sharkdocs.org

Relevant Literature & Resources

🏫 Bimini Research

Bimini Shark Lab – https://www.biminisharklab.com/

🦈 Shark Management and Abundance in The Bahamas

Kessel et al., 2016 – https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12987

Hansell et al., 2018 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2017.09.016

Talwar et al., 2020 – https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2020.105683

Smukall et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15067

🔬 Species-Specific Research

Caribbean reef shark IUCN Red List assessment:

Carlson et al., 2019 – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60217/3093780

Caribbean Reef Shark life history:

Talwar et al., 2022 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-022-04044-9

🌊 Shark and Ray Abundance

MacNeil et al., 2020 – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2519-y

Clementi et al., 2021 – https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v661/p175-186/

Simpfendorfer et al., 2023 – https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.ade4884

Goetze et al., 2024 – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02386-9

🌍 Population Declines and Management

Ward-Paige et al., 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011968

Talwar et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12675

Pacoureau et al., 2023 – https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2216891120

🌴 North Bimini Mangroves

Jennings et al., 2008 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10641-008-9357-3

DiBattista et al., 2011 – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.1752-4571.2010.00125.x

Jennings et al., 2012 – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11852-012-0211-6

Arkema et al., 2017 – https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj25256/files/media/file/natcap_economicvalueofmarineprotectedareas_0.pdf

Beal et al., 2021 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21004581

Kanno et al., 2023 – https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v724/p167-183/

Kressler et al., 2024 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24006964

🌐 Habitat Conservation Resources

North Bimini Marine Reserve – https://www.biminisharklab.com/north-bimini-marine-reserve

🌍 Global Habitat Loss

Waycott et al., 2009 – https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0905620106

Polidoro et al., 2010 – https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010095

Buelow et al., 2022 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.013

💰 Shark Economy

Haas et al., 2017 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.01.007

🌊 Ecosystem Values

Harborne et al., 2006 – https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2881(05)50002-6

🦈 Shark and Ray Interactions

Maljković & Coté, 2011 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.11.019

Hammerschlag et al., 2012 – https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01973.x

Heim et al., 2021 – https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.628469

Heim et al., 2024 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2024.08.012

🌐 Shark Diving Management

Gallagher et al., 2015 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.02.007

Healy et al., 2020 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103964

🐟 Shark Homing Behavior

Edrén & Gruber, 2005 – https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-004-2583-4

Feldheim et al., 2014 – https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12583

📚 Internships

https://www.biminisharklab.com/internships

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