Hours after tagging an endangered basking shark off the coast of Ireland in April, researchers captured what they believe is the first ever video of a shark or any large marine animal being struck by a boat.
The data, collected by an activity measurement device similar to a FitBit and a connected camera, provided scientists a unique opportunity to learn more about the impact of vessel strikes on large marine animals, which is a rising concern around the globe, said Taylor Chapple, a shark researcher at Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center and lead author of the study.
“This is the first ever direct observation of a ship strike on any marine megafauna that we’re aware of,” Chapple said. “The shark was struck while feeding on the surface of the water and it immediately swam to the seafloor into deeper, offshore waters, a stark contrast to its behavior prior to the strike.
“Our findings demonstrate the risk and impact of vessel strikes and the need for measures to reduce this risk.”
Researchers do not know whether the shark, a female about 7 meters long, eventually recovered from the strike. The tag was designed to release itself from the animal at a pre-determined time. About seven hours after the strike, the tag was released and later
