This may be the prettiest photo in the world, at least the baby fish.
A new video, which provided scientists studying a group of tiger sharks, shows a fetal shark.
Scientists have been amazed at the large number of tiger sharks that have gathered in the shallow waters near the coast of the Bahamas, which was also very popular with snorkellers. The scenic area is called tiger beach. They decided to examine the question of whether a disproportionate number of female sharks in the cooler months (whose number compared to males is 9 to 1) with reproduction.
Indeed, a team of 8 scientists found a high number of pregnant females and used the portable ultrasonic diagnostic devices for research of 5 moms. In addition, they took blood samples to analyze hormones. It is important to emphasize that up to this time scientists had the opportunity to study the reproductive biology of fish, only when the shark was dead. New studies allow us to examine the reproductive organs and to determine the presence of the fruit of the living females of the sharks, not sacrificing them.
A team of researchers headed by Neil Hammershlag, Director of the research program of Shark Research & Conservation Program at the University of Miami. He stressed the importance of their studies in an interview to a news magazine Caters News: «Understanding reproductive strategies and mating behavior of animals is important for future measures for the conservation of nature».
As stated by scientists, «this breakthrough is nothing short of a miracle». «To see the baby sharks inside the mother’s body – it’s like Christmas morning for me – the excitement never goes away» — said a jubilant James Sulikowski, Professor of biology of the marine environment at the University of Arizona.
