A novel protocol for three-dimensional mapping of sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) enclosure use in aquaria: Implications for management.

Autor: Metrione LC; South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation, Yulee, Florida, USA., Pham NK; South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation, Yulee, Florida, USA.; Department of Social Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida, USA., Price C; North Carolina Aquariums, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA.; Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA., Duskin L; Science Operations, Disney's Animals, Science, and Environment, Bay Lake, Florida, USA., Stamper AM; Science Operations, Disney's Animals, Science, and Environment, Bay Lake, Florida, USA., Penfold LM; South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation, Yulee, Florida, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Zoo biology [Zoo Biol] 2024 Jul-Aug; Vol. 43 (4), pp. 354-363. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 18.
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21844
Abstrakt: This study investigated sand tiger shark (STS; Carcharias taurus) spatial use and exclusion in public aquarium enclosures using a novel protocol for three-dimensional mapping. Fifty-one STS were observed in 14 enclosures, and swimming pattern, depth, and location were recorded in ZooMonitor. Data were converted into quantitative, three-dimensional representations using ArcGIS® Pro v. 2.9. All observed STS except one swam in circular patterns, and 80% (n = 41) showed a directional swimming bias. Most STS (80%; n = 41) predominantly utilized the top two-thirds of the enclosures, though 83% (n = 34) of those had swimming obstructions in the bottom of the enclosure. Avoidance of obstructed areas, sections <7 m wide, as well as behavioral spatial separation, resulted in utilization of between 27% and 66% of available enclosure space. STS underutilized corners, pinch-points, and obstructed areas requiring abrupt directional changes and instead exhibited continual, unimpeded swimming patterns. In addition, this study found no relationship between directional swimming bias or use of smaller enclosure volumes and spinal deformity, a health issue affecting 26% of STS 10 years ago but now with an incidence of 6%. Using novel protocols for three-dimensional mapping and volume estimation, this study demonstrated that enclosures facilitating unimpeded, continuous swimming are most usable for STS and provides important information that will be useful for future enclosure design.
(© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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