Issue 104 - January 2024

Caught napping? Grey Reef Sharks Resting Changes What We Know About How They Breathe

Researchers are re-writing what we know about how grey reef sharks breathe and rest based on new observations from reefs in Seychelles. They hope that if we understand whether sharks sleep, we will take better measure of everything else: their metabolism, their behaviour and their energy usage. But the scientists also hope that new knowledge about sharks and sleep will move us to feel closer to, and take care of, nature.

Predators in perpetual motion. Sleepless in our seas. If that’s your image of sharks, you’re not alone. And for good reason: sharks must swim to breathe (or so we were told). The science of how sharks sleep and breathe is linked, and while all sharks use gills to breathe, there are two ways that they move oxygen-rich sea water over those gills. Some sharks, called obligate ram ventilators, ‘ram’ oxygen-rich sea water over their gills and need to keep moving to do so.Other species, called buccal pumpers, actively pump sea water over their gills while stationary.

Science today tells us that sharks can be still – and there is some suggestion that they sleep. But there is no solid evidence of sleep behaviour in ram ventilators. Scientists have hypothesised that they don’t sleep at all, or they sleep using half their brain (like sperm whales and bottlenose dolphins), or they sleep facing into ocean currents.

A new paper ‘Just keep swimming? Observations of resting behaviour in grey reef sharks Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (Bleeker, 1856)’, published this month in Journal of Fish Biology up-ends what we know about one obligate ram ventilator. The grey reef shark is an Endangered reef dweller in the family Carcharhinidae and was the quintessential representative of a shark that moves to breathe. ‘On routine survey dives around D’Arros we found grey reef sharks resting under coral reef ledges,’ begins Dr Robert Bullock, the director of research at the Save Our Seas D’Arros Research Centre (SOSF-DRC) in Seychelles. ‘This is not something we believed they could do. The grey reef shark has been considered a ram-ventilating species, unable to rest, so to find these ones resting turns our fundamental understanding of them on its head.’

The researchers encountered grey reef sharks resting alone and in groups at different sites around Seychelles. And through it all, the sharks seemed blissfully unaware of their observers. It’s a key observation: scientists think that increases in arousal thresholds count as the hallmark of sleep rather than just rest. The sharks remained still, except for lower jaw movements that suggest these ram-ventilating sharks can switch to buccal pumping behaviour. With little to no currents at the sites and sharks at rest facing in all directions, it seems the idea that the only way they’d rest is facing into currents holds little water for grey reef sharks. Craig Foster, founder of the SeaChange Project, was one of the divers and authors of the paper. ‘There is something very special,’ he says, ‘about “tiptoeing” around underwater at a depth of 25 metres and looking into the open eyes of sleeping sharks, moving carefully so as not to wake the peaceful beauties.’

‘I love things that challenge our current thinking, and I’ve always thought of the grey reef shark as a clear example of a species that needs to swim to breathe. Clearly not from this discovery!’ Dr James Lea, the CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation, is enthusiastic about what the paper portends. ‘This raises all kinds of other questions,’ he declares. ‘How are they coping? How long for? How often? We have so much to learn still and to me that’s exciting.’

If the grey reef shark can switch its mode of breathing, and rest, there’s more to uncover about similar sharks. ‘It’s key to understanding how they use their environment and also how this may change in response to shifts in environmental conditions,’ explains Dr Lea. ‘How important is this rest, or possible sleep, for the sharks? And what’s the impact on them if they can’t get that rest if conditions change, such as oxygen levels rising or falling due to a changing climate?’

The authors all agree that this discovery also says a lot about our own relationship with the natural world. ‘I hope that these findings serve as a reminder of how much we still do not know and how exciting that is. Science is about being wrong quite a lot. And that’s OK,’reflects Dr Bullock. Mr Foster believes that what we know about the wild is critical to conservation. ‘Knowing how our shark kin sleep is to be closer to their fascinating world and to wake up from our own slumber and realise we cannot live without these magnificent marine beings,’ he states.

About the Save Our Seas Foundation

Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2003, the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is a philanthropic organisation whose ultimate goal is to create a legacy of securing the health and sustainability of our oceans, and the communities that depend on them, for generations to come.

Its support for research, conservation and education projects worldwide focuses on endangered sharks, rays and skates. Three permanent SOSF research and education centres reinforce its actions in Seychelles, South Africa and the USA.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

Up Next

Ocean Hope Chronicles: Local Leaders as Extraordinary Changemakers

Don't Miss

MILAN: Natural History Museum Reopens with Renewed Exhibition Layout

Issue 104 - January 2024

11th Hour Racing Provides Support to Nonprofit Organizations in Coastal Communities

11th Hour Racing announced its support of nine new U.S. grant recipients as part of its ongoing philanthropic efforts funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation. These nonprofit organizations are leading initiatives at the crossroads of education and the environment in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico.

Save the Sound harvests eelgrass seeds to restore the marine ecosystem in the Long Island Sound. © 11th Hour Racing

Reinforcing its mission to support local programs that model best practices of sustainability, restore coastal ecosystems, and advance ocean stewardship, 11th Hour Racing also renewed grants with 25 nonprofit organizations and supported 11 community nonprofits in Rhode Island, bringing total funding to $4 million in grant giving in 2023.

“11th Hour Racing’s strategy centers on improving ocean health with an array of solutions that start on land,” said Michelle Carnevale, president of 11th Hour Racing. “Community composting is a strong focus this year – because it transforms food waste into nutrient-rich soil that helps nature sequester more carbon. We’ve also broadened our support of diverse organizations that are leading policy research, testing out advances in ecosystem restoration, and teaching traditional ecological knowledge.”

These nine new grantees join 11th Hour Racing’s current 48-strong cohort of grantees creating systemic change to restore ocean health. The following are the new grantees and work supported by 11th Hour Racing.

Compost Power (New York City, N.Y.) hosts weekly workshops and trains young adults from public housing communities on composting practices and leadership. It processes residential food waste and distributes finished compost to city residents and community gardens.
Franklin’s Promise Coalition (Apalachicola, Fla.) leads experiential youth leadership programs, including BoriCorps in Puerto Rico and OysterCorps in Florida, focused on workforce development in restoring mangroves, salt marshes, oyster habitats, and living shorelines to advance coastal resilience in historically marginalized communities.
Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Washington, D.C.) will advance BIPOC-centered composting programs in the northeast United States through a small grants initiative.
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Mashpee, Mass.) is implementing a four-week Preserving Our Homelands Youth in Science summer program that combines traditional ecological knowledge with Western science and supports operations of this region’s only native-owned and operated shellfish farm.
Novak Lab (Boston, Mass.) reduces the climate vulnerability of New England eelgrass meadows on Cape Cod by transplanting eelgrass shoots from regional locations with higher average water temperatures and supports restoration efforts of vital eelgrass habitat on Nantucket.
Rhode Island Food Policy Council (Providence, R.I.) supports a just and resilient food system in Rhode Island, including advancing municipal composting initiatives, building a network of compost leaders, and advocating for sustainable food policy.
Rhode Island Schools Recycling Project (Providence, R.I.) is expanding its food waste and healthy food capture and diversion program into five additional schools, training students to lead their fellow students in lunchroom composting, diverting healthy edible food, and recycling. The program is also conducting a case study on cost-saving benefits for schools that switch to lunchroom food waste sorting stations.
Stone Living Lab (Boston, Mass.) improves biodiversity and water quality by installing Living Seawalls, eco-engineered habitat-mimicking concrete structures that will help create more viable Boston Harbor ecosystems while conducting educational events for key municipal and climate resilience professionals.
Urban Ocean Lab (Boston, Mass.) cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities. To advance the use of nature-based solutions in coastal cities nationwide, Urban Ocean Lab is partnering with Stone Living Lab to document, translate, and disseminate lessons learned from the City of Boston’s use of nature-based solutions as an adaptation measure.

11th Hour Racing’s additional contributions to Rhode Island-based nonprofit organizations reflect its mission to support those working to forge a sustainable and inclusive coastal community, foster resilience, and tackle local environmental challenges.

Donation recipients include Bike Newport, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, Conexión Latina Newport, Eating with the Ecosystem, EcoRI News, FabNewport, International Tennis Hall of Fame’s TeamFAME Program, Newport Festivals Foundation, Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm, Sankofa Community Connection, and Zero Waste Providence.

11th Hour Racing is now accepting grant applications through March 31, 2024, and welcomes national and international organizations to apply. To learn more, visit 11thhourracing.org.

The Trustees of Reservations is measuring carbon sequestration and restoring vegetation in a portion of New England's 20,000-acre salt marsh to keep pace with climate change. — The Trustees of Reservations is measuring carbon sequestration and restoring vegetation in a portion of New England’s 20,000-acre salt marsh to keep pace with climate change. © 11th Hour Racing

About 11th Hour Racing

11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sports, maritime, and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean. Since 2010 the organization has been harnessing the power of sport to promote collaborative, systemic change through three primary areas of engagement: Sponsorships, Grantees, and Ambassadors. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

Issue 104 - January 2024

SSI Launches ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Facebook Group to Unite Divers Worldwide

Scuba Schools International (SSI) has launched a new Facebook group, ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’. This exciting new community is designed to bring together divers from around the world to share their knowledge and passion for underwater adventures.

Why ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’?

SSI recognizes the need for a vibrant and engaging platform that goes beyond training and certifications. A place where divers of all experience levels can come together to celebrate the wonders of the underwater world. Here, divers can find a supportive network of other divers who are keen to share their experiences, insights, and tips to enhance every diving adventure.

Benefits of joining:

Joining ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ offers a multitude of benefits. Divers can get unbiased views on everything related to diving. They can ask questions, receive valuable feedback, and get validation from a global community of divers. With members from around the world, it is easy for divers to make new friends and discover new places to go diving.

Who is this group for?

The ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Facebook group is for everyone interested in diving – be that scuba diving, freediving, Extended Range diving, or mermaiding. This diverse and inclusive group caters for all experience levels; from beginners right through to professionals.

Inside the group, members can explore a world of topics, such as:

Dive spots around the world.
Dive trip planning tips.
Equipment reviews and recommendations.
Dive safety and skills.
Marine conservation and environmental awareness.
Underwater photography and videography.
Dive stories and experiences.
Diving Q&A sessions, polls, surveys, and quizzes.
SSI updates and news.
Exciting events.
Inspiring interviews.

So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting your underwater journey, SSI invites you to become a part of this extraordinary community today:

Join the ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Community.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

Issue 104 - January 2024

SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – January 2024 – Issue 104

Feature Destination

Rapa Nui’s Hidden Gems and Sacred Spaces

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is a bastion of ancient mystery and modern allure, a remote volcanic island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It’s world-renowned for its archaeological treasures, particularly the nearly 900 Moai statues carved by the early Rapa Nui people. Read more…

Rapa Nui Multiple Use Marine Coastal Protected Area, a Blueprint for Conservation

The Rapa Nui Multiple Use Marine Coastal Protected Area, established off the coast of Easter Island in 2018, stands as a monumental effort in marine conservation, encompassing an area of 278,000 square miles. Read more…

Sustainability Insights from Rapa Nui’s Past

Banner photo showing a statue on easter island

Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui to its earliest inhabitants, stands as a sentinel of human history, and ecology, and a poignant lesson in the fragility of civilization. Approximately 2,300 miles from the coast of Chile, it is the most isolated inhabited landmass on Earth. Read more…

NEWSROOM

Halfway Through Expedition Hope: Do Offshore Seamounts Mean Good News for Cayman’s Coral Reefs?

Little Cayman, Cayman Islands; 15 December 2023: As we near the halfway point of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s (CCMI) Expedition Hope to characterise the biodiversity of two offshore seamounts in the Cayman Islands. Read more…

Ocean Hope Chronicles: Local Leaders as Extraordinary Changemakers

Liz Cunningham’s Ocean Hope Chronicles are dedicated to inspiring individuals who are making a difference to protect the life of the seas. “Majority world.” My ears pricked up. I had not heard that term before. The speaker continued. “The majority world is home to talented conservationists who have historically been underrepresented due to colonialism. Read more…

Caught napping? Grey Reef Sharks Resting Changes What We Know About How They Breathe

MILAN: Natural History Museum Reopens with Renewed Exhibition Layout

The Migliore+Servetto design studio, which won the national competition to design the set-up of the whole museum in 2018, has created the permanent design for Room IX of the Natural History Museum of Milan, dedicated to the “Natural History of Humans”. The intervention involves approximately 400 square metres and ranges from the overall conception of the room layout. Read more…

Snapping Shrimp Create Rowdy Reef in Kimberley Marine Park

Underwater reefs are generally thought of as tranquil places — however, some truly unruly residents make one such area off the coast of northwestern Australia anything but quiet. Marine experts from Curtin University and the Western Australian Museum were diving in the West Holothuria Reef complex in Wunambal Gaambera Wundaagu saltwater country off the Kimberley coast of WA. Read more…

Guy Harvey Foundation Renews Support for The Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest

Wildlife Forever is proud to announce the continuation of their partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation for the 2024 The Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest. The Guy Harvey Foundation will continue to support the Guy Harvey Shark Award, a special category of the competition featuring all species of sharks. Read more…

Extinct Ink: What If Your Next Tattoo Could Create a Forever-Lasting Impact?

Our oceans are dying and we are responsible: dozens of marine animals have gone extinct due to pollution, poaching, and other human activity. It seems only fair that we give a bit of ourselves to raise awareness about this dramatic issue. Read more…

SOFi Products Unveils New Plastic-Free, Biodegradable Cup for Hot Beverages

After four years of research and development, SOFi Products is excited to reveal its new 100% plastic-free, biodegradable cup for hot beverages that doesn’t require a separate lid. The SOFi Hot Cup features three flaps that fold together to form a spill-proof spout. Read more…

Mountain Bike & Camp Along North Rim of the Grand Canyon with Escape Adventures

While most of North America reels under hot summertime temperatures, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers a wonderful high-altitude escape. Providing gently rolling terrain of lung-expanding dimensions, the North Rim has been long-held as sacred ground to hikers and cyclists alike. Read more…

Shark Conservation Insight: ‘Older Than Trees’ Documentary Unveils Dr. James Lea’s Shark Conservation Quest

The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is proud to share its story of shark scientist Dr James Lea, a field biologist deeply committed to a hopeful future for sharks and rays. Viewers can stream the film for free on YouTube, journeying with Lea as he travels the planet using his expertise to save sharks. See the documentary…

Green Fins Indonesia is Committed to Expanding Sustainability to Marine Tourism Nationwide

The Reef-World Foundation — the international coordinator of UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative — has successfully trained and certified two new Green Fins assessor trainers from the Green Fins Indonesia National Team. Read more…

SEVENSEAS Beach Cleanup & Coral Restoration Events in Marine Protected Areas

Beach Cleanup Event from
November 2023

Coral Nursery & Restoration Activity Update: July 2023

In July 2023, SEVENSEAS Media conducted two impactful events in Krabi, Thailand. The Monthly Beach Cleanup Event at Ao Sew Beach saw enthusiastic volunteers remove a staggering 150.6 kilograms of trash, underscoring the pressing issue of marine pollution and the significance of sustainable practices like reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. The organization stressed the importance of proper waste management to protect coastal ecosystems.

Meanwhile, in the face of an unexpected storm, SEVENSEAS Media’s Coral Nursery & Restoration team demonstrated unwavering dedication, rescuing and relocating 75 corals to safer locations, bolstering their chances of survival and growth. The team outlined a comprehensive plan for continued coral recovery missions and data collection efforts throughout the year. The recent storm served as a stark reminder of the urgency to safeguard coral reefs from climate change impacts. We would like to express our gratitude for the support received from individuals and communities in this conservation community. We would not be able to do it without your support. You can make a tax-deductible donation here to keep our publications and Thailand Cleanup Project afloat.

You can either make a direct financial contribution to SEVENSEAS Media through The Ocean Foundation website or connect us with potential donors by sending an email to Giacomo Abrusci, our Editor-in-Chief.

The FREE Weekly Conservation Post and Jobs List

Signing up for the free Weekly Newsletter & Jobs List will get you a round-up of upcoming events, webinars, meetings, reports, funding opportunities, photos of the week, and recent postings to the jobs list.

To sign up for our free subscription, please Click Here or email us Here.

Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.

Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.

If you are interested in contributing or getting involved, email us Here.

=[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]