Message in a Bottle (opens in a new tab)
Can a bottle of seawater tell you if sharks are around? Yes! Sharks, just like other animals, constantly shed DNA in tiny bits of skin, mucus, blood as well as faeces into their surrounding environment. This floating environmental DNA (eDNA) soon breaks down. But, if collected quickly, it can tell you what sharks have recently been in the area!
This technique is being used to track the seasonal presence of sharks around the world, including Blacktip Reef Sharks, Whale Sharks, White Sharks and even Largetooth Sawfish!
eDNA research is a great tool to help scientists monitor and track shark populations, essential in helping us to understand and manage them. Check out the latest study on Blacktip Reef Sharks and the full paper.
