Researchers from two universities have equipped sharks with sensors and video recorders to try measuring and seeing where they are going, how they are getting there, and what they do once reaching destinations.
The instruments allowed researchers a "shark's eye" view of the ocean while also providing a better understanding about the lives of these underwater species and their environment, according to a news release.
"What we are doing is really trying to fill out the detail of what their role is in the ocean," said Carl Meyer, an assistant researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, according to the release. "It is all about getting a much deeper understanding of sharks' ecological role in the ocean, which is important to the health of the ocean and, by extension, to our own well-being."
By using sensors and video recorders, the scientists were able to capture footage of many different shark species swimming in schools, moving in repetitive loops, and interacting with other sea creatures.
Another project, which involved instruments ingested by sharks and other sea creatures, like tuna, allowed scientists to gain more knowledge of underwater creature's feeding habits. The instruments were designed to use electrical measurements to track the digestion and ingestion of prey, to figure out how much sharks and other predators are eating, when they eat and where, according to the news release.
They were also able to confirm sharks power swim more often than they glide, which contradicts what scientists around the world previously believed.
Deep-sea sharks also swim at a slower motion than shallow water sharks, according to the news release.
"These instrument packages are like flight data recorders for sharks," Meyer said. "They allow us to quantify a variety of different things that we haven't been able to quantify before. It has really drawn back the veil on what these animals do and answered some longstanding questions."
Meyer, and fellow Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology researcher Kim Holland, presented their findings at the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting on Feb. 27.
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