Tiger sharks are apex predators with a circumglobal tropical and warm-temperate distribution, with a general lack of population data for the central Indian Ocean. In Fuvahmulah, Maldives, tiger sharks display frequent use of the harbour area, attracted by discarded fish waste. Here, we document the population structure, residency, and reproductive characteristics of the world’s largest known tiger shark aggregation in a geographically-restricted area. Using non-invasive methods, photo identification and laser photogrammetry, we identified 239 individual tiger sharks over a 7-year study period. The aggregation was female-dominated (84.5%), with both large juveniles and adults present. Adult females were resighted over the entire study period displaying strong inter- and intra-annual site fidelity. Modelled residency using maximum likelihood methods suggests they spent 60.7 ± S.E. 7.5 days in Fuvahmulah, with a larger aggregation size, shorter residence periods and longer absence periods compared to juvenile females. Prolonged abdominal distensions of adult females indicate they likely stay near Fuvahmulah during gestation and reproduce biennially. Fuvahmulah seems to provide suitable conditions for gestation given the year-round provision of food and warm waters, exhibited by strong site fidelity and temporal residency. Our results show indications of a thriving population within the confines of protected waters.
Vossgaetter L., Dudeck T., Crouch J., Cope M., Ivanova T., Siyan I., Niyaz A., Riyaz M. and Araujo G. (2024) Non-invasive methods characterise the world’s largest tiger shark aggregation in Fuvahmulah, Maldives. Scientific Reports 14(1). 10.1038/s41598-024-73079-3
@article{Vossgaetter2024,
Title = {Non-invasive methods characterise the world’s largest tiger shark aggregation in Fuvahmulah, Maldives},
Author = {Vossgaetter, Lennart and Dudeck, Tim and Crouch, Jamie and Cope, Maiah and Ivanova, Tatiana and Siyan, Ibrahim and Niyaz, Abdullah and Riyaz, Mohamed and Araujo, Gonzalo},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Scientific Reports},
Year = {2024},
Volume = {14},
Doi = {10.1038/s41598-024-73079-3},
Abstract = {Tiger sharks are apex predators with a circumglobal tropical and warm-temperate distribution, with a general lack of population data for the central Indian Ocean. In Fuvahmulah, Maldives, tiger sharks display frequent use of the harbour area, attracted by discarded fish waste. Here, we document the population structure, residency, and reproductive characteristics of the world’s largest known tiger shark aggregation in a geographically-restricted area. Using non-invasive methods, photo identification and laser photogrammetry, we identified 239 individual tiger sharks over a 7-year study period. The aggregation was female-dominated (84.5%), with both large juveniles and adults present. Adult females were resighted over the entire study period displaying strong inter- and intra-annual site fidelity. Modelled residency using maximum likelihood methods suggests they spent 60.7 ± S.E. 7.5 days in Fuvahmulah, with a larger aggregation size, shorter residence periods and longer absence periods compared to juvenile females. Prolonged abdominal distensions of adult females indicate they likely stay near Fuvahmulah during gestation and reproduce biennially. Fuvahmulah seems to provide suitable conditions for gestation given the year-round provision of food and warm waters, exhibited by strong site fidelity and temporal residency. Our results show indications of a thriving population within the confines of protected waters.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Vossgaetter, Lennart
AU - Dudeck, Tim
AU - Crouch, Jamie
AU - Cope, Maiah
AU - Ivanova, Tatiana
AU - Siyan, Ibrahim
AU - Niyaz, Abdullah
AU - Riyaz, Mohamed
AU - Araujo, Gonzalo
TI - Non-invasive methods characterise the world’s largest tiger shark aggregation in Fuvahmulah, Maldives
T2 - Scientific Reports
PY - 2024
VL - 14
DO - 10.1038/s41598-024-73079-3
AB - Tiger sharks are apex predators with a circumglobal tropical and warm-temperate distribution, with a general lack of population data for the central Indian Ocean. In Fuvahmulah, Maldives, tiger sharks display frequent use of the harbour area, attracted by discarded fish waste. Here, we document the population structure, residency, and reproductive characteristics of the world’s largest known tiger shark aggregation in a geographically-restricted area. Using non-invasive methods, photo identification and laser photogrammetry, we identified 239 individual tiger sharks over a 7-year study period. The aggregation was female-dominated (84.5%), with both large juveniles and adults present. Adult females were resighted over the entire study period displaying strong inter- and intra-annual site fidelity. Modelled residency using maximum likelihood methods suggests they spent 60.7 ± S.E. 7.5 days in Fuvahmulah, with a larger aggregation size, shorter residence periods and longer absence periods compared to juvenile females. Prolonged abdominal distensions of adult females indicate they likely stay near Fuvahmulah during gestation and reproduce biennially. Fuvahmulah seems to provide suitable conditions for gestation given the year-round provision of food and warm waters, exhibited by strong site fidelity and temporal residency. Our results show indications of a thriving population within the confines of protected waters.
ER -
