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Full Moon Means More Activity in the Animal Kingdom

PetSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:00:58 -0700

You know that feeling of anticipation you get during a full moon that makes you want to go out and party? Well, maybe that's just me, but studies show that the "Full Moon Effect" touches other species, too. Not only are those werewolves on the hunt during full moons, but so are sharks, seals, and sea birds.

Since sea birds — like the streaked shearwater — rest on the water's surface, they are especially noticeable on a night with a full moon, where the light penetrating the water is brighter, and the birds cast a shadow below. So the sharks and seals that prey on the birds have a better chance of catching a midnight snack on those evenings. How did researchers first discover this activity? To find out, just

That's a Big Fishie Tank!

PetSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:00:53 -0700

If you wanted to visit the world's largest fish tank, you'd have to go to Okinawa, Japan, home of the "Kuroshio Sea," otherwise known as the Churaumi Aquarium. Their fish tank is so humongous, it holds four whale sharks – the biggest fish alive!

Not only is the local sea life that's housed in the tank beautiful to look at, but the observation window at the Churaumi is a marvel on its own. The acrylic-resin window clocks in at 26 feet high by 73 feet wide, and almost two feet thick in order to hold the pressure of the water which is pumped in from 300 feet offshore. Don't the people in this picture look like fish food compared to these massive sea creatures!?

And I thought Aquatica was huge!

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Creature Features: Whale Shark

PetSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:30:46 -0700

Not all sharks are created equal, what do you know about the world's biggest fish? I've uncovered fun facts – some shocked me – learn about this animal and see if you make the grade!

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The Scoop: Follow the Great White Map

PetSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:00:49 -0700

Got a phobia of sharks? At least you'll always know if one shark in particular is roaming nearby! The Monterey Bay Aquarium recently released a juvenile great white shark into the wild, after featuring it as part of an exhibit for the past five months. Equipped with a tracking system that gives real-time movements, Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesman Ken Peterson says this will help them understand mating, feeding, and living habits of the mysterious creatures:

The lives of juvenile white sharks are almost a complete mystery to us. The released shark is now in relatively warm waters about 656 feet deep, but we don't know if it will travel into the Sea of Cortez, where juvenile great whites have been spotted, or if it will travel more southward, where we have less evidence for shark presence.

The SPOT (Smart Position-Only Tag) sensor takes location readings every time the shark pops his dorsal fin above water then relays that data back through satellite. You can get in on the shark-watching action, too. See how when you

The Scoop: Shark Virgin Welcomes Baby!

PetSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:00:26 -0800

New babies are cause for celebration in my book, and this pup is no exception! The baby shark (aka, pup) was recently born in a Hungarian aquarium to a female white-tipped reef shark. The twist comes in that mom, Ibolya, is not only the location's lone female shark . . . she's been all alone in her tank since she was born at the Nyíregyháza Centre seven years ago! "When I saw the baby shark lying on the bottom of the tank, I thought it was a joke," aquarium director Attila Varga said. "I was amazed when I realized it was a real shark."

The rare process of parthenogenesis is where an egg starts to divide without being fertilized. Although it happens with other vertebrates, birds, snakes, reptiles, and even some bony fishes, it had never previously been described in sharks, rays, or any mammals for that matter. It's so unusual that the only other proven example (in captivity) is when a hammerhead shark had a similar situation at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., back in 2001. Unfortunately for that animal, a stingray killed the pup before it could be safely removed from the tank, but DNA tests completed last year indicated it was indeed a result of a "virgin birth." At this point, Ibolya's baby is the only living example of this miracle!

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