Page 66 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

AGENDA NEWS

Q EXPERT BRIEFING
CONSERVATION

INSIGHT

LEMON SHARKS

THOUGH THEY CAN GROW NEARLY THE ANNUAL
3.5M LONG, LEMON SHARKS STILL ` SURVIVAL
REQUIRE THE PROTECTION OF
MANGROVES, SAYS IAN BOUYOUCOS. RATE OF YOUNG
LEMON SHARKS
angroves – shrubs that cover has been reduced by an CAN BE AS LOW
can tolerate saltwater estimated 20 per cent since the
M– are important 1980s, with coastal development, AS 50 PER CENT.”
nursery areas for a huge range pollution and climate change
of species, including this lemon the three main factors.
shark in The Bahamas. Young lemon sharks need
The network of roots and all the help they can get – their there such as jacks, lobsters
stems growing out of a usually annual survival rate can be as or even stingrays.
muddy, shallow lagoon not only low as 50 per cent, even in good But adults will also return
provides protection from other mangrove habitat and, like most periodically to the shallow
predators for one- to two-year-old sharks, they take a long time to mangroves where they were
sharks, but also to other species mature (up to 12 years before born, either to give birth or to
on which they can perfect their they can breed) and they give predate upon the animals that
hunting skills. birth to a number of young only live there – ironically, including
Mangroves provide other every two years. young lemon sharks.
ecological benefits, too, such as As they get bigger, lemon
protecting against coastal erosion sharks become less vulnerable to IAN BOUYOUCOS studied lemon sharks
while working at the Cape Eleuthera
and acting as carbon stores, but predators, and by the age of three Institute in the Bahamas.
they are threatened where they most will have left the safety
grow in many parts of the world, of their mangrove ‘creche’. As + FIND OUT MORE
Shane Gross around islands and coastlines in adults, they move to coral reefs Cape Eleuthera Institute
in deeper water where they can
tropical and subtropical areas.
www.ceibahamas.org
target the bigger species that live
In The Bahamas, mangrove
FACT FILE
LEMON SHARK
NEGAPRION BREVIROSTRIS
THE
B AHAMA S HABITAT Mainly shallow
water around coral cays and
mangroves, also saline creeks
and river mouths
DIET Smaller fish and
crustaceans when young,
larger fish as they mature
THREATS Caught commercially
on longlines for their meat, their
fins also traded and their skin
used to make leather
! IUCN RED LIST STATUS
Lemon shark range NEAR THREATENED

66 BBC Wildlife August 2017