Today is U.S. Shark Awareness Day

More than 600 species of sharks and rays exist in the world, and U.S. Shark Awareness Day — celebrated on July 14 — aims to dispel myths and fear and raise awareness about these creatures and their plight.

At FAU, researchers study these sharks and rays to learn more about their behavior and aid in conservation efforts, including the migratory behavior of blacktip sharks to the feeding behavior of eagle rays.

Here are two examples of some current research and outreach efforts:

Matt Ajemian, Ph.D., associate research professor, FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, is working on a collaborative project to mount special suction cups to whitespotted eagle rays to uncover more about how these rays affect shellfish communities, since they like to eat clams and conch.

https://mote.org/news/article/mote-collaborates-with-fau-to-tag-rays-for-understanding-of-their-relations

Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., a professor of biological sciences in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, who studies shark sensory systems as well as migratory partners, was recently featured in National Geographic’s highly popular series, “When Sharks Attack” to explore more about why sharks bite humans.

https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/when-sharks-attack.php