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82-573: The Cape Byron Marine Park caters to both commercial and recreational uses including fishing, swimming, diving, walking, and other beach activities. Cape Byron Marine Park is situated in Northern New South Wales which experiences a sub-tropical climate. The monthly average sea temperature fluctuates between 27.1 degrees in February and 21.6 degrees in July. The Cape Byron Marine Park is also impacted by

164-416: A bulky body. The sand tiger's length can reach 3.2 m (10.5 ft) but is normally 2.2–2.5 m in length. They are grey with reddish-brown spots on their backs. Shivers (groups) have been observed to hunt large schools of fish. Their diet consists of bony fish, crustaceans , squid , skates and other sharks. Unlike other sharks, the sand tiger can gulp air from the surface, allowing it to be suspended in

246-527: A fisheries resource off the South African coast. A study near Sydney in Australia found that the behaviour of the sharks is affected by the proximity of scuba divers. Diver activity affects the aggregation, swimming and respiratory behaviour of sharks, but only at short time scales. The group size of scuba divers was less important in affecting sand tiger behaviour than the distance within which they approached

328-425: A large, smooth main cusp with a tiny cusplet on each side of the main cusp. The upper front teeth are separated from the teeth on the side of the mouth by small intermediate teeth. Sand tiger sharks roam the epipelagic and mesopelagic regions of the ocean, sandy coastal waters, estuaries, shallow bays, and rocky or tropical reefs, at depths of up to 190 m (623 ft). The sand tiger shark can be found in

410-508: A popular trade item in Japan. Off North America, it is fished for its hide and fins. Shark liver oil is a popular product in cosmetic products such as lipstick. It is sought by anglers in fishing competitions in South Africa and some other countries. In Australia it has been reduced in numbers by spear fishers using poison and where it is now protected. It is also prized as an aquarium exhibit in

492-492: A process called intrauterine cannibalism i.e. "embryophagy" or, more colorfully, adelphophagy—literally "eating one's brother." While multiple male sand tigers commonly fertilize a single female, adelphophagy sometimes excludes all but one of them from gaining offspring. These surviving embryos continue to feed on a steady supply of unfertilised eggs. After a lengthy labour, the female gives birth to 1 m (3.3 ft) long, fully independent offspring. The gestation period

574-480: A recent spike in shark attacks in New York state, with 13 incidents reported over a two-year period. In Australia and South Africa, one of the common practices in beach holiday areas is to erect shark nets around the beaches frequently used by swimmers. These nets are erected some 400 m (1,300 ft) from the shore and act as gill nets that trap incoming sharks: this was the norm until about 2005. In South Africa,

656-437: A reduced use of these nets and alternative approaches are being developed. In Argentina, the prey items of sand tigers largely coincided with important commercial fisheries targets. Humans affect sand tiger food availability and the sharks, in turn, compete with humans for food that, in turn, has already been heavily exploited by the fisheries industry. The same applies to the bottom-living sea catfish ( Galeichthys feliceps ),

738-532: A specimen caught off the coast of Sicily . Carcharias taurus means "bull shark". This taxonomic classification has been long disputed. Twenty-seven years after Rafinesque's original description the German biologists Müller and Henle changed the genus name from C. taurus to Triglochis taurus . The following year, Swiss-American naturalist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz reclassified the shark as Odontaspis cuspidata based on examples of fossilized teeth. Agassiz's name

820-496: A superhighway that fish and sea turtles use to travel down the east coast of Australia. The characters Marlin ( Albert Brooks ) and Dory ( Ellen DeGeneres ) join Crush ( Andrew Stanton ), Squirt ( Nicholas Bird ) and a group of baby and adult sea turtles and fish in using the EAC to help them travel to Sydney Harbour to find his son Nemo ( Alexander Gould ). The basic premise of the storyline

902-570: A threat to the humpback whale on their migratory journey. Recreational fishing which is permitted in the Cape Byron Marine Park has also been linked to mortality rates of grey nurse sharks. It has been reported that the injuries sustained by grey nurse sharks in the form of jaw injuries and internal fishing hook, which can cause disease or internal injuries which has increased the long term mortality rates. Considering that over 30% of grey nurse sharks reported have fishing related injuries, this

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984-668: A tight recirculation. At this location the EAC reaches its maximum transport of nearly 35  Sv (35 billion liters per second). The majority of the EAC flow that does not recirculate will move eastward into the Tasman Front , crossing the Tasman Sea just north of the cape of New Zealand . The remainder will flow south on the EAC Extension until it reaches the Antarctic Circumpolar Current . The Tasman Front transport

1066-404: Is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service [Species of Concern] , which are those species that the U.S. Government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act . According to

1148-456: Is a significant impact on an endangered species. The local sea turtle population, including the green turtle and loggerhead turtle, are currently at risk of fibropapillomatosis and in particular a new corneal strand of the virus which has resulted in a declining population. The increased prevalence of this virus has been linked to environmental factors such spikes in seasonal water temperatures and harmful algae bloom. The rise of cyanobacteria in

1230-473: Is a species of shark that inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. It inhabits the continental shelf , from sandy shorelines (hence the name sand tiger shark) and submerged reefs to a depth of around 191 m (627 ft). They dwell in the waters of Japan, Australia, South Africa, and the east coasts of North and South America. The sand tiger shark also inhabited the Mediterranean , however it

1312-464: Is actually correct. Every summer, thousands of fish are swept from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney Harbour and further south; however, the current is not nearly as rapid as depicted in the film. Grey nurse shark Carcharias tricuspidatus Day, 1878 The sand tiger shark ( Carcharias taurus ), grey/gray nurse shark , spotted ragged-tooth shark , or blue-nurse sand tiger ,

1394-413: Is also found in the marine park particularly around the "moat". Kelp is a form of subtidal microalgae that forms on the surface of mid water in temperate regions. Kelp plays its part as a form of habitat and is inhabited by a diverse range of marine animals and sea weeds. Kelp is a form of protect and foods source of many local animals and its existent is reliant on the existence of predators which ensure

1476-784: Is approximately eight to twelve months. These sharks give birth only every second or third year, resulting in an overall mean reproductive rate of less than one pup per year, one of the lowest reproductive rates for sharks. In the north Atlantic, sand tiger sharks are born about 1 m in length. During the first year, they grow about 27 cm to reach 1.3 m. After that, the growth rate decreases by about 2.5 cm each year until it stabilises at about 7 cm/y. Males reach sexual maturity at an age of five to seven years and approximately 1.9 m (6.2 ft) in length. Females reach maturity when approximately 2.2 m (7.2 ft) long at about seven to ten years of age. They are normally not expected to reach lengths over 3 m and lengths around 2.2–2.5

1558-528: Is divided into zones such as the; sanctuary zones, habitat protection zones, general use zones, and special purpose zones and they are managed accordingly. Aside from the Marine Parks Act 1997 , Cape Byron Marine Park is also affected by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 , NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 , National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 . These acts impact on

1640-493: Is elongated with a long upper lobe (i.e. strongly heterocercal ). They have two large, broad-based grey dorsal fins set back beyond the pectoral fins. The sand tiger shark has a grey-brown back and pale underside. Adults tend to have reddish-brown spots scattered, mostly on the hind part of the body. In August 2007, an albino specimen was photographed off South West Rocks , Australia. The teeth of these sharks have no transverse serrations (as have many other sharks) but they have

1722-533: Is estimated at 13 Sv. The eastward movement of the EAC through the Tasman Front and reattachment to the coastline of New Zealand forms the East Auckland Current. The EAC also acts to transport tropical marine fauna to habitats in sub-tropical regions along the south east Australian coast. The current also warms up the eastern coastline of the country. The EAC is a surface current driven by winds over

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1804-457: Is important to acknowledge that there are a plethora of them within the Cape Byron Marine Park which are critical to the health of the local ecosystems. These include a variety of molluscs such as the gold ring cowries ( Cypraea annulus ), crustaceans such as the zebra shrimp ( Ganthophylum americanum ) and the seven armed sea star ( Luidia australiae ). These invertebrates have been noted as they are not usually found in areas and climates such as

1886-431: Is known to negatively affect their food intake capacity. Coastal developments have also been known to impact on the local saltmarsh and mangrove communities which are critical habitat for several species of marine life and birdlife. Climate change is affecting the Cape Byron Marine Park in several ways. It is altering the species range shifts which can impact finely balanced ecosystems. Examples of this has been seen through

1968-481: Is more common. In the informal media, such as YouTube, there have been several reports of sand tigers around 5 m long, but none of these have been verified scientifically. As of 2023, the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File lists 36 unprovoked, non-fatal attacks by sand tiger sharks. Over the weekend of 4 July 2023, there were four attacks attributed to sand tiger sharks in New York, USA. This followed

2050-434: Is more than one male close by with the dominant one remaining close to the female, intimidating others with an aggressive display in which the dominant shark closely follows the tail of the subordinate, forcing the subordinate to accelerate and swim away. The dominant male snaps at smaller fish of other species. The male approaches the female and the two sharks protect the sandy bottom over which they interact. Strong interest of

2132-433: Is pointy, as opposed to round, while the snout is flattened with a conical shape. Its body is stout and bulky and its mouth extends beyond the eyes. The eyes of the sand tiger shark are small, lacking eyelids. A sand tiger usually swims with its mouth open displaying three rows of protruding, smooth-edged, sharp-pointed teeth. The males have grey claspers with white tips located on the underside of their body. The caudal fin

2214-510: Is similar to that of many of the Odontaspididae, the shark family to which sand tigers belong. Female sand tigers have two uterine horns that, during early embryonic development, may have as many as 50 embryos that obtain nutrients from their yolk sacs and possibly consume uterine fluids. When one of the embryos reaches some 10 cm (4 in) in length, it eats all the smaller embryos so that only one large embryo remains in each uterine horn,

2296-480: Is the bottom-living narrownose smooth-hound shark ( Mustelus schmitti. ). Benthic (i.e. free-swimming) rays and skates are also taken, including fanskates , eagle rays and the angular angel shark , with larger individuals feeding on a higher number of benthic elasmobranchs than smaller individuals. Stomach content analysis indicates that smaller sand tigers mainly focus on the sea bottom and as they grow larger they start to take more pelagic prey. This perspective of

2378-466: Is thought to be caused by changes in wind patterns due to ozone depletion over Australia. There is a strong consensus with climate models that this trend will continue to intensify and accelerate over the next 100 years. The current is predicted to increase by more than 20%, due to the increase in South Pacific winds. In the 2003 Disney / Pixar animated film Finding Nemo , the EAC is portrayed as

2460-409: Is used among biologists. Because the sand tiger shark is worldwide in distribution, it has many common names. The term "sand tiger shark" actually refers to four different sand tiger shark species in the family Odontaspididae. Furthermore, the name creates confusion with the unrelated tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier . The grey nurse shark , the name used in Australia, is the second-most used name for

2542-753: The East Australian Current (EAC), which transports warm water currents into temperate zones. The presence of the EAC plays an important role in transporting tropical flora and fauna into Southern Hemisphere temperate zones. The Cape Byron Marine Park is located on the Eastern Overlap Zone where warm waters form the north converge with cooler waters from the south. The local marine habitats include exposed and sheltered sandy beaches, rocky shores, rocky reefs, submerged pinnacles, small rocky islands, coral communities, riverine estuaries, coastal creeks and lakes, and sandy seabed habitats. The major ecosystems in

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2624-644: The Fisheries Management Act 1994 . The grey nurse shark ( Carcharius taurus ) has also been listed under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (NSW DPI 1994) as an endangered species and defined by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 as critically endangered with fears that there are less than 500 remaining in NSW waters. The Cape Byron Marine Park is also a part-time home to

2706-533: The Fisheries Management Act 1994 . These include the Bleeker's devil fish ( Paraplesiops bleekeri ), estuary cod ( Epinephelus coioides ), threatened black cod ( Epinephelus daemelii ) and the giant Queensland grouper ( Epinephelus lanceolatus ). The spotted wobbegong ( Orectolobus maculatus ) and banded wobbegong ( Orectolobus ornatus ) have been recorded to be in decline while the great white shark ( Carcharhinus carcharias ) has been listed as vulnerable under

2788-493: The Odontaspis taurus name and substituted Eugomphodus , a somewhat unknown classification, for Odontaspis . Many taxonomists questioned his change, arguing that there was no significant difference between Odontaspis and Carcharias . After changing the name to Eugomphodus taurus , Compagno successfully advocated in establishing the shark's current scientific name as Carcharias taurus . The ICZN approved this name, and today it

2870-443: The continental shelf and inshore, influencing circulation patterns and increasing mixing. Eddies are not the only way the EAC brings nutrients to the surface. Features along the coast push the current further offshore. If there is a strong northerly wind, it will push the current even further offshore, allowing deep water to rise up the coast, bringing nutrients up to the surface. The EAC varies seasonally. It tends to be strongest in

2952-613: The green turtle ( Chelonia mydas ) and the leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea ) which are both defined as vulnerable. These turtles are also considered threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 along with the hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricate ) and the flatback turtle ( Natator depressus ). The Cape Bryon Marine Park plays an important role for many birds by providing habitat, breeding grounds, food source and hunting grounds, as well seasonal movements for migratory species. The NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 identifies

3034-546: The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) which uses the Cape Byron Marine Park on their migratory journey from the Southern Ocean to their tropical breeding grounds. Three of the sea turtles that live within the Cape Byron Marine Park which are considered threatened under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 are the loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta ) which is defined as endangered and

3116-640: The water column with minimal effort. During pregnancy, the most developed embryo will feed on its siblings, a reproductive strategy known as intrauterine cannibalism i.e. "embryophagy" or, more colorfully, adelphophagy —literally "eating one's brother". The sand tiger is categorized as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List . It is the most widely kept large shark in public aquariums owing to its tolerance for captivity. The sand tiger shark's description as Carcharias taurus by Constantine Rafinesque came from

3198-619: The Arts . 28°41′S 153°41′E  /  28.68°S 153.68°E  / -28.68; 153.68 East Australian Current The East Australian Current (EAC) is a warm, southward, western boundary current that is formed from the South Equatorial Current (SEC) crossing the Coral Sea and reaching the eastern coast of Australia . At around 15° S near the Australian coast

3280-852: The Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in the Adriatic Seas. In the Western Atlantic Ocean, it is found in coastal waters around from the Gulf of Maine to Florida, in the northern Gulf of Mexico, around the Bahamas and Bermuda, and from southern Brazil to northern Argentina. It is also found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea to the Canary Islands , at the Cape Verde islands, along

3362-424: The Cape Byron Marine Park are estuaries, rocky shores and platforms, sub tidal reefs and emergent rocks and islands, sandy beaches, and open oceans. The Cape Byron Marine Park is home to several species of flora which play a significant role in the local ecosystems by being a source of food, habitat, breeding grounds for the local marine animals and bird life. The flora also plays a role in improving water quality and

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3444-534: The Cape Byron Marine Park includes many species of dolphins, sharks, rays, turtles, eels, starfish, and corals fish, seabirds and marine plants. The Brunswick River is also home to several varieties of marine life including colourful nudibranchs (sea slugs), sea snails, shrimps, crabs, corals, starfish, anemones, octopus , flatworms, sea squirts and sponges. The Cape Byron Marine Park has more than 530 recorded fish species. However, there are several species which are in decline and or threatened which are protected under

3526-439: The Cape Byron Marine Park is also linked with the increase of pollution. Coastal development around the Cape Byron Marine Park is a concern on the nesting areas of the migratory little tern. Little terns are highly sensitive to human disturbance and a decrease in suitable habitat impacts on the population size due to a decrease in adequate roosting and breeding grounds. Little terns are also impacted by pollution as poor water quality

3608-590: The Cape Byron Marine Park. The zebra shrimp and the seven armed sea star are rarely found in intertidal habitats and the gold ring cowries share a tropical affinity and demonstrate a rare occurrence in which the Cape Byron Marine Park is a habitat for both temperate and tropical species. There are several ongoing threats to the Cape Byron Marine Park and its biodiversity. These environmental threats and issues include tourism and recreational use, fishing, pollution, development, invasive species, disease and climate change. The current trend of ocean temperature increases impacts

3690-613: The Marine Parks Authority which has the responsibility for administering the act, a statewide Marine Parks Advisory Council that provides advice to the ministers responsible for marine parks on matters relevant to all marine parks, and local advisory committees that advise the ministers on local marine park matters. The act also provides for the preparation of zoning plans; establishment of closures; assessment of development activities, both within and affecting marine parks; and preparation of operational plans. The Cape Byron Marine Park

3772-633: The National Marine Fisheries Service, any shark caught must be released immediately with minimal harm, and is considered a prohibited species, making it illegal to harvest any part of the sand tiger shark on the United States' Atlantic coast. A recent report from the Pew Charitable Trusts suggests that a new management approach used for large mammals that have suffered population declines could hold promise for sharks. Because of

3854-457: The SEC divides forming the southward flow of the EAC. It is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia. The EAC reaches a maximum velocity at 30° S, where its flow can reach 90 cm/s. As it flows southward it splits from the coast at around 31° to 32° S. By the time it reaches 33° S it begins to undergo a southward meander while another portion of the transport turns back northward in

3936-521: The South Pacific. These winds control how the current behaves at different times of year. The EAC starts on the west edge of the South Pacific Gyre where it collects warm, nutrient-poor water. As it skirts along the east coast of Australia, it carries a large amount of warm tropical water from the Equator southward. This contributes to the conditions which allow the Great Barrier Reef to thrive, keeping

4018-458: The United States, Europe, Australia and South Africa because of its docile and hardy nature. Thus, overfishing is a major contributor to the population decline. All indications show that the world population in sand tigers has been reduced significantly in size since 1980. Many sand tigers are caught in shark nets, and then either strangled or taken by fishermen. Estuaries along the United States of America's eastern Atlantic coast houses many of

4100-462: The area as they cover several species that are protected under these acts such as the grey nurse shark. The Cape Byron Marine Park is impacted by a range of programs, including those operating within the park including: fisheries management, pollution reduction, estuary and coastal management. There are also programs on a national level that affect the marine park such as catchment management, national park management and land-use planning associated with

4182-606: The coasts of Senegal and Ghana, and from southern Nigeria to Cameroon. In the western Indian Ocean, the shark ranges from South Africa to southern Mozambique, but excluding Madagascar. The sand tiger shark has also been sighted in the Red Sea and may be found as far east as India. In the western Pacific, it has been sighted in the waters around the coasts of Japan and Australia, but not around New Zealand. Sand tigers in South Africa and Australia undertake an annual migration that may cover more than 1,000 km (620 mi). They pup during

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4264-506: The current develop due to a westward Tasman Front, the meander pinches off to form eddies once or twice per year. The EAC causes upwelling along the coastline. The eddies produced cause an increase in vertical mixing within the Tasman Sea. The process of producing, moving, and destroying eddies causes the thermocline layer to mix with the surface layer, bringing some nutrients up to the surface. The EAC and its eddies frequently flow onto

4346-442: The day, they take shelter near rocks, overhangs, caves and reefs often at relatively shallow depths (<20 m). This is the typical environment where divers encounter sand tigers, hovering just above the bottom in large sandy gutters and caves. However, at night they leave the shelter and hunt over the ocean bottom, often ranging far from their shelter. Sand tigers hunt by stealth. It is the only shark known to gulp air and store it in

4428-586: The diet of sand tigers is consistent with similar observations in the north west Atlantic and in South Africa where large sand tigers capture a wider range of shark and skate species as prey, from the surf zone to the continental shelf, indicating the opportunistic nature of sand tiger feeding. Off South Africa, sand tigers less than 2 m (6.6 ft) in length prey on fish about a quarter of their own length; however, large sand tigers capture prey up to about half of their own length. The prey items are usually swallowed as three or four chunks. Mating occurs around

4510-463: The east coast around 18 °C year round instead of dropping to 12 °C in the winter. The current is very low in nutrients but remains important for the marine ecosystem. The EAC transfers heat from the tropics to the mid-latitude water and atmosphere. It does this by producing warm core eddies , which allow the Tasman Sea to have a large biodiversity. The most southern tip of the EAC can produce these eddies by wind currents. As instabilities in

4592-466: The filtering of sediments which create a more hospital and liveable environment for the local marine life. The significant species within the Cape Byron Marine Park include mangroves, seagrasses, kelp, saltmarshes and algae. The mangroves found in the Cape Byron include the grey mangrove ( Avicennia marina ), river mangrove ( Aegiceras corniculatum ), the orange mangrove ( Bruguiera gymnorhiza ) and

4674-545: The identification of several tropical species identified within the Cape Byron Marine Park. There is also direct link between the rising levels of CO 2 in the atmosphere, the oceans become warmer and the lowering of the ocean's pH levels ( ocean acidification ). An increase in acidification and warmer water leads to a decrease in carbonates which are attributed to coral bleaching as mass bleaching occurs when sea temperatures have exceeded average temperatures by 1 degree for more than several weeks. This will impact negatively on

4756-403: The impact of degradation based on herbivorous animals. The salt marsh that is found within the Cape Byron Marine Park is the marine couch ( Sporobolus virginicus var. minor ) and the maritime rush ( Juncus krausii ). Algae is also found in the marine park, and in particular sargassum, the rare red algae ( Rodriguezella ), and the brown algae ( Ecklonia radiata ). The marine life of

4838-537: The local habitat conditions, species range, and the impact of the EAC. Tourism and recreational use of the Cape Byron Marine Park has impacted on the populations of grey nurse sharks ( Carcharias taurus ). Grey nurse sharks maintain the same nursery breeding grounds which are often disturbed by tourism activities such as divers and often the use of shark repellent . Shark netting protected swimmers on beaches has also been linked to mortality of grey nurse sharks. Increased boat traffic, pollution and fishing equipment are also

4920-406: The loggerhead turtle for survival. The NSW marine parks have been declared under the Marine Parks Act 1997 and are managed by NSW Department of Primary Industries staff. The act aims to protect and conserve the biodiversity of the marine park whilst also allowing for sustainable resource use e.g. fishing, whilst also allowing for reaction and public use of the area. The Marine Parks Act created

5002-444: The male is indicated by superficial bites in the anal and pectoral fin areas of the female. The female responds with superficial biting of the male. This behaviour continues for several days during which the male patrols the area around the female. The male regularly approaches the female in "nosing" behaviour to "smell" the cloaca of the female. If she is ready, she swims off with the male, while both partners contort their bodies so that

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5084-583: The marine park. The Marine Parks Authority has a role in influencing the programs and initiatives that it is not directly responsible for and attempting to work in collaboration in order to achieve common goals. The Marine Park Authority works with other governmental departments including the Department of Planning , local government and with the Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and

5166-516: The migratory little tern ( Sterna albifrons ) and the beach stone-curlew ( Esacus neglectus ) as endangered. Seabirds that utilize the Cape Byron Marine Park are the providence petrel ( Pterodroma solandri ), flesh-footed shearwater ( Puffinus carneipes ), and the masked booby ( Sula dactylatra ) which are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 . Although no invertebrates have been identified as endangered or vulnerable, it

5248-401: The milky mangrove ( Excoecaria agallocha ). The seagrass found in the estuaries, Zostera capricorni , is an important habitat for many fish and crustaceans including dugongs and green turtles . They play a crucial role the nutrient and carbon cycle as well as trap sediment and filter coastal water. These process are vital to the local ecosystem. The tropical seagrass Halodule uninervis

5330-423: The months of August and December in the northern hemisphere and during August–October in the southern hemisphere. The courtship and mating of sand tigers has been best documented from observations in large aquaria. In Oceanworld, Sydney, the females tended to hover just above the sandy bottom ("shielding") when they were receptive. This prevented males from approaching from underneath towards their cloaca. Often there

5412-498: The mortality of sand tiger sharks caused a significant decrease in the length of these animals and it was concluded that the shark nets pose a significant threat to this species with its very low reproductive rate Before 2000, these nets snagged about 200 sand tiger sharks per year in South Africa, of which only about 40% survived and were released alive. The efficiency of shark nets for the prevention of unprovoked shark attacks on bathers has been questioned, and since 2000 there has been

5494-420: The most popular shark species to be displayed in public aquaria. However, as with all large sharks, keeping them in captivity is not without its difficulties. Sand tiger sharks have been found to be highly susceptible to developing spinal deformities, with as many as one in every three captive sharks being affected, giving them a hunched appearance. These deformities have been hypothesized to be correlated to both

5576-424: The normal birth grounds during winter: it is thought that they move deeper into the ocean. At Cape Cod (USA), juveniles move away from coastal areas when water temperatures decreases below 16 °C and day length decreases to less than 12 h. Juveniles, however, return to their usual summer haunts and as they become mature they start larger migratory movements. The sand tiger shark is a nocturnal feeder. During

5658-435: The rare back coral trees ( Antipathes grandis ) found within the Cape Byron Marine Park. Changes in water temperature that are associated with climate change are also expected to impacted on the life cycle of many species as evidenced by the loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta ) change in nesting patterns and times, this again could lead to an unbalanced ecosystem which could have detrimental effects on other species which rely on

5740-541: The right clasper of the male enters the cloaca of the female. The male bites the base of her right pectoral fin, leaving scars that are easily visible afterwards. After one or two minutes, mating is complete and the two separate. Females often mate with more than one male. Females mate only every second or third year. After mating, the females remain behind, while the males move off to seek other areas to feed, resulting in many observations of sand tiger populations comprising almost exclusively females. The reproductive pattern

5822-425: The sand tigers. Sand tigers reproduce at an unusually low rate, due to the fact that they do not have more than two pups at a time and because they breed only every second or third year. This shark is a highly prized food item in the western northern Pacific, off Ghana and off India and Pakistan where they are caught by fishing trawlers, although they are more commonly caught with a fishing line . Sand tigers' fins are

5904-453: The sea bottom), suggesting that they hunt extensively on the sea bottom as far out as the continental shelf. Bony fish ( teleosts ) form about 60% of sand tigers' food, the remaining prey comprising sharks, skates, other rays, lobsters, crabs and squid. In Argentina, the prey includes mostly demersal fishes, e.g. the striped weakfish ( Cynoscion guatucupa ) and whitemouth croaker ( Micropogonias furnieri ). The most important elasmobranch prey

5986-465: The shark, and in India it is known as blue-nurse sand tiger . However, there are unrelated nurse sharks in the family Ginglymostomatidae. The most unambiguous and descriptive English name is probably the South African one, spotted ragged-tooth shark . There are four species referred to as sand tiger sharks: The most likely problem when identifying the sand tiger shark is when in the presence of either of

6068-414: The sharks. Divers approaching to within 3 m of sharks affected their behaviour but after the divers had retreated, the sharks resumed normal behaviour. Other studies indicate sand tiger sharks can be indifferent to divers. Scuba divers are normally compliant with Australian shark-diving regulations. Its large and menacing appearance, combined with its relative placidity, has made the sand tiger shark among

6150-413: The size and shape of their tank. If the tank is too small, the sharks have to spend more time actively swimming than they would in the wild, where they have space to glide. Also, sharks in small, circular tanks often spend most of their time circling along the edges in only one direction, causing asymmetrical stress on their bodies. There are several factors contributing to the decline in the population of

6232-420: The stomach, allowing the shark to maintain near-neutral buoyancy which helps it to hunt motionlessly and quietly. Aquarium observations indicate that when it comes close enough to a prey item, it grabs with a quick sideways snap of the prey. The sand tiger shark has been observed to gather in hunting groups when preying upon large schools of fish. The majority of prey items of sand tigers are demersal (i.e. from

6314-614: The summer in relatively cold water (temperature ca. 16 °C [61 °F]). After parturition, they swim northwards toward sites where there are suitable rocks or caves, often at a water depth ca. 20 m (66 ft), where they mate during and just after the winter. Mating normally takes place at night. After mating, they swim further north to even warmer water where gestation takes place. In autumn they return southwards to give birth in cooler water. This round trip may encompass as much as 3,000 km (1,900 mi). The young sharks do not take part in this migration, but they are absent from

6396-487: The summer, with a total flow of around 36.3 Sv. It is its weakest during the winter months, flowing at around 27.4 Sv. Over the past 50–60 years the EAC has shifted. The south Tasman Sea has become warmer and saltier from 1944–2002, causing the flow to strengthen and extend southward. This shift in the EAC flow past Tasmania is controlled by the Southern Hemisphere subtropical ocean circulation. This trend

6478-425: The two species of Odontaspis . Firstly, the sand tiger is usually spotted, especially on the hind half of the body. However, there are several other differences that are probably more reliable: Adult sand tigers range from 2 m (6.6 ft) to 3.2 m (10.5 ft) in length with most specimens reaching a length of around 2.2–2.5 m and 91 kg (201 lb) to 159 kg (351 lb) in weight. The head

6560-565: The young sand tiger sharks. These estuaries are susceptible to non-point source pollution that is harmful to the pups. In Eastern Australia, the breeding population was estimated to be fewer than 400 reproductively mature animals, a number believed to be too small to sustain a healthy population. This species is therefore listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, and as endangered under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992 . It

6642-407: Was last seen there in 2003 and is presumed extinct in the region. Despite its common names, it is not closely related to either the tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier ) or the nurse shark ( Ginglymostoma cirratum ). Despite its fearsome appearance and strong swimming ability, it is a relatively placid and slow-moving shark with no confirmed human fatalities. This species has a sharp, pointy head, and

6724-510: Was used until 1961 when three palaeontologists and ichthyologists , W. Tucker, E. I. White, and N. B. Marshall, requested that the shark be returned to the genus Carcharias . This request was rejected and Odontaspis was approved by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). When experts concluded that taurus belongs after Odontaspis , the name was changed to Odontaspis taurus . In 1977, Compagno and Follet challenged

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