#Deep blue shark tracking map skin#

Until recently, scientists had to retrieve the receiver to get their hands on its data.Д«ut the latest generation of acoustic receiver buoys are now able to transmit their data via satellite.

#Deep blue shark tracking map skin#

The tag is attached to the tough skin next to the dorsal fin on the sharkвЂ™s back with a special lance.

Similar to how FasTrak communicates with toll booths at Bay Area bridges, an acoustic tag emits an individual high-frequency sound that is picked up by receivers floating nearby. Shark Net relies on a tag that uses sound waves to transmit its data. To get around this, some tags pop off the animal after 30 to 90 days and float to the surface, where they transmit their data over satellite in one big chunk. But radio waves donвЂ™t travel far underwater. Modern tags collect speed, depth and temperature data and send them via radio waves to satellites. Not until the last 20 years have marine biologists been able to use tags attached to a marine animalвЂ™s body to track its whereabouts. вЂњItвЂ™s really a challenge to go out and count mountain lions,вЂќ Block said. But the road to the marriage of science, data and technology has been a long one. To some land dwellers, swimming with virtual sharks on their phones between rounds of Candy Crush Saga might seem like just another day in todayвЂ™s world of tomorrow. By keeping the numbers of other animals in check, their actions have a cascading effect down the food chain that helps keep both predators and those they prey upon in check, even in the face of climate change. Top predators like the white shark, she said, help keep balance in the Blue Serengeti by doing what they do best: eating. вЂњI think something like this app gives everybody an opportunity to participate in the stewardship of the ocean.вЂќД«lock expressed the need for greater protection by explaining how sharks and other marine predators play a critical role in maintaining the stability of the ecosystem. вЂњInvolving the public, to me, is the key,вЂќ Hayes said. вЂњOur goal as conservationists is to manage these predators when they come to our shores,вЂќ she said.Дawn Hayes, education and outreach coordinator of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, said the opinion of average people goes a long way toward establishing and increasing environmental protection. Parts of the Blue Serengeti are designated marine sanctuaries, Block noted, but many areas remain unprotected or underprotected.Д«lockвЂ™s team developed the app to get people thinking about protecting additional marine habitats. But the former MacArthur вЂњgenius grantвЂќ winner cares deeply about the health of the ocean and all its creatures. In the scientific sphere, Block is known for her research on bluefin tuna. Block hopes the app will help people connect with white sharks in a personal way and inspire the public to push for greater protection of the sharks and their habitats.