Wildlife Tracking

For Trackers

For Teachers

Adoption Program Give a gift that counts!
Mij Kemp's Ridley
Lindsay Leatherback
Eileen Kemp's Ridley
Luca Green Turtle

Red Zone

Satellite Tracking of Sharks off Florida's Gulf Coast

A project of Mote Marine Laboratory.

click map for full-size version

Position of tagging and subsequent locations coming from 'Red Zone's' satellite tag

Full-Size Map (25KB)

Species: Bull Shark
Life Stage: Sub-Adult
Gender: Male
Release Date: 2010-05-23 11:55:00
Release Location: TampaBay - Off Rattlesnake Key
Last Location: 2010-06-10 02:36:44

Adoptive Parents:
Harli

Background

On the second day of last year's tournament's finale (5/23/10), Team Red Zone caught a bull shark measuring 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm) in total length. This immature (but maturing) male was a perfect specimen for attaching a SPOT5 satellite tag.

Jay Withers (right) and Mike Manis (left) of Team Red Zone prepare to measure and tag their bull shark as tournament observer Robert Lugiewicz (center) assists in the process.

A member of the Mote research team positions the SPOT5 satellite tag in preparation for its attachment.

Dr. Bob Hueter of Mote Marine Lab prepares to release the bull shark while Luke Tipple of Shark-Free Marinas (on right) gets some underwater shots of this beautiful fish.

Additional facts on 'RedZone' and bull sharks in general:
* 'Red Zone' is an immature male bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) with a total length of 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm).
* Male sharks can be identified from females by the presence of a pair of fingerlike claspers on the inner margin of the pelvic fins.
* The claspers of a male shark become elongated and rigid with calcification at the onset of sexual maturity.
* Bull sharks can grow to 11 feet (3.4 m) in length and weigh more than 500 lbs (230 kg), although in Florida they rarely exceed 9 feet (2.7 m).
* Bull sharks are found in nearshore, estuarine and river environments worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions.
* Bull sharks consume a variety of prey types including bony fish, stingrays, other sharks, marine mammals, and some invertebrates.
* Although bull sharks have been implicated in serious attacks on human swimmers, such attacks are exceedingly rare.
* The bull shark is currently listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as "Near Threatened."