OCEARCH. Inspire. Enable. 3 During Lowcountry Expedition, researchers will collaborate on board the...

Educate. Inspire. Enable. 1

OCEARCH Lowcountry Expedition Education Packet


You can follow along as OCEARCH goes on Lowcountry Expedition. Replace fear

with facts as you learn more about Great White Sharks, explore the Pelagic

Sargassum Habitat, and track the pings of your favorite sharks. You will also see

how tagging technology works and how to use the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker

to gather near real-time data to complete the S.T.E.M. activities!

There are several ways that you can be a part of the OCEARCH Education global

community during the Low country Expedition and beyond.

You can:

• Download the free OCEARCH S.T.E.M. Learning Curriculum for grades K-8

• Host a Change 4 FINS fundraising event at your school.

• Follow and engage with us on our social media platforms.

(Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)

• Sign up to receive the OCEARCH Education Newsletter at

[email protected] for updates and upcoming events.

• Register for an OCEARCH Education Google Hangout lesson or Teacher

Workshop with one of our OCEARCH Education Ambassadors.

• Schedule a Skype Session with an OCEARCH team member and get your

questions answered.

• Kick Plastic by reducing the use of single use plastic bottles and bags in your

classroom and home.

Together we can educate, inspire, and enable the next generation of scientists,

explorers, and stewards of the ocean.

OCEARCH

Lowcountry Expedition Education Packet

mailto:[email protected]


During Lowcountry Expedition, researchers will collaborate on board the OCEARCH vessel, to do

multiple white shark research projects. They will use a variety of methods to obtain samples

and tag sharks with multiple tags (3) to gather data in order to gain understanding about white

sharks in the North Atlantic.

Research projects include; white shark movements in the North Atlantic, to look at their fine

and broad scale movements, their habitat use, residency, and feeding behavior, aspects of

white shark reproduction, impacts of white sharks on the marine food web of the western

North Atlantic, DNA sequence variation of white sharks within and among ocean basins,

nutritional markers, bite force in sharks, and contaminates of emerging concern from U.S.

Atlantic waters.

Some of these researchers will take biological samples from white sharks, like blood, muscle

plugs, reproductive fluids, fin clips, or parasites off of the shark. Some researchers will then use

the results from the tests performed on the samples can then used along with the pings from

white shark movements on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker to complete their data sets.

Others will use only the biological samples for their research.

Research using biological samples : Nutrition, Ectoparasites, and White Shark Reproduction.

Example of white shark research that use both: DNA analysis, Physiological effects of capture

stress, sensory physiology, and trophic ecology of white sharks in the western North Atlantic.

Other research projects will solely rely on tracking data from active (like SPOT and PSAT tags)

and/or passive (acoustic tags) tracking data.

Example : Movements of White Sharks in the North Atlantic

Little is known about white shark biology, ecology, reproduction, and behavior. The ability to

conduct research experiments on the hydraulic lift, with live white sharks, gives scientists

unprecedented access to these apex predators, in order to continue their vital work that could

lead to conservation efforts to manage this IUCN listed “vulnerable” species toward abundance.

OCEARCH

Lowcountry Expedition North Atlantic White Shark Research Goals


Name ____________________________________________________________

Watch the OCEARCH Science Team talk at the PRSF Maritime Center about the research they are

conducting during the Lowcountry Expedition, live on Periscope or Facebook. Participate in the chat by

submitting your questions in the comments section and follow along as we hear about the shark

research conducted and samples collected on this expedition .

1. How does studying about shark Community have potential benefits for humans?

2. Can we tell if white sharks tagged are related by analyzing their DNA?

3. What does Dr. Brian Frazier study?

4. What kinds of data can be gathered from the blood taken by OCEARCH scientists ?

5. How do researchers assess the reproductive health, cycle, and gestation of sharks ?

6. Why do sharks have low rates of infection? How does a shark’s immune system compare to

humans ?

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. How do white sharks impact the marine food web of the Atlantic Ocean?

8. What do the fine and broad scale movements of white sharks in the Atlantic tell researchers an

us about this species when blood work from a pregnant female is paired with an ultrasound ?

9. What does Dr. Christine Bedore study?

10. When a shark has a large eye, how does that correlate with how well they see?

Expedition Mission: Lowcountry Shark Research


The Lowcountry has marine ecosystems that are used by apex predators like

Great White sharks, Tiger sharks, Bull sharks, and Sandbar sharks. These species

of sharks are keeping the Atlantic Ocean in balance. More data is needed about

these species of sharks and how they use the waters in North Carolina, South

Carolina, and Georgia. By tracking and gathering data on Great White Sharks like

Hilton and Savannah, scientists and researchers gain insight on the migratory

patterns, life cycle, reproduction, and overall health of this vulnerable species.

This research is used to conserve them, so they can have a healthy and abundant

future, and help keep the marine food chain in balance.

Shark Species of the Lowcountry


Great White Shark

Hilton

Cacharadon Carcharias

Sex: Male

Life Stage: Mature

Size: 12 feet 5 inches

Habitat: Great White Sharks can be found in the ocean, all over the world, preferring water

with temperatures between 54-75 degrees.

Prey

Mature White Shark diet: Mature White Sharks eat marine mammals, such as seals, dolphins,

and whales, they have ben seen feeding on dead whale carcasses. They will also feed on large

fish, such as red drum, tuna, striped bass, and dogfish.

Life Cycle

Reproduction: Researchers think that male white sharks in the Atlantic Ocean may have a one-

year migration cycle, where they return to the meeting site every year. The tagging data

collected from mature male white sharks like Hilton and George, are critical for establishing

mating sites for these apex predators.

Fun Fact: Hilton was named after Hilton Head, South Carolina and was tagged on white shark

Lydia’s tagging anniversary!

Follow him on Twitter: @HiltonTheShark


Great White Shark

Savannah

Cacharadon Carcharias

Sex: Female

Life Stage: Immature

Size: 8 feet 6 inches

Habitat: Great White Sharks can be found in the ocean, all over the world, preferring water

with temperatures between 54-75 degrees.

Prey

Immature White Shark diet: At this life stage, white sharks mostly eat fish and rays. Their teeth

are more pointed and narrow than mature white sharks.

Life Cycle

Reproduction: Great White Sharks reach maturity at 20 years old. They are viviparous: They

have a gestation period ranging from 18 to 24 months. White sharks have a live birth to 2-12

pups that are 5-7 ft. long. White Shark Savannah, will help researchers to understand the track

for the immature female white shark track of the North Atlantic.

Fun Fact: Great White Sharks can swim in bursts of 25 mph and travel long distances during

their migrations. Lydia traveled 35,000 miles in the first year after she was tagged!

Follow her on Twitter: @SharkSavannah


Tiger Shark

Weimar

Galeocerdo cuvier

Sex: Male

Life Stage: Mature

Length: 9 feet 4 inches (2.8 meters)

Prey:

Mature Tiger Sharks are known to eat just about anything they come across in the

ocean. Their teeth strong and are able to open up sea turtle shells, and have been

known to eat sea turtles, fish, and birds.

Life Cycle and Reproduction :

Matura tiger sharks are oviviparous. This means that female tiger sharks have egg

casings inside their rooms that then hatch and give birth to live young pups. The

tiger shark is the only one and it’s family that reproduces in this way.

Fun Fact: Tiger Shark Weimar was named after Ruth way Mara who so generously

hosted OCEARCH in Savannah, during Lowcountry Expedition.

Follow him on Twitter: @SharkWeimar


Tiger Shark

Beaufort

Galeocerdo cuvier

Sex: Male

Life Stage : Immature

Weight: 107 pounds

Prey:

Immature Tiger sharks eat prey like small bony fish, crustaceans , rays, and just

about anything else it can find.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Tiger shark males reach maturity at about 2.3 meters. When it is Young it is

known for its beautiful striped markings giving it its name. As they mature, tiger

sharks begin to lose their markings.

Fun Fact: Tiger sharks will even eat things that are not considered food like

license plates and tires! Follow him on Twitter: @SharkBeaufort


Lowcountry Marine Ecosystems

Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Restricted Area


The Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Restricted Area is a designated area in the Atlantic Ocean

ranging from North Carolina to Florida. It is named for the kind of brown seaweed that is found

floating through the Gulf Stream called sargassum. As a seaweed travels through the Gulf

Stream it provides a floating ecosystem as part of the Atlantic marine food chain. The

sargassum itself is food for many juvenile fishes, as well as protection from, larger fishes, who

are preyed on by apex predators, like great white sharks in the ocean.

Pelagic Sargassum Marine Food Web

According to NOAA, the Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Restricted Area is home 81 different fish

species. North Carolina , South Carolina, and Georgia have fishes like, Sargassum Fish,

Planehead fish, Dolphin fishes, and Triggerfish. Other fish species that use the sargassum

habitat include Amberjacks and Tuna; even sea turtles have been seen using the sargassum.

Great White Shark Mary Lee has pinged in several times in this area. This is a sign of a healthy,

thriving, ecosystem. Use the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker to see which other sharks have

visited the Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Restricted Area. Juvenile Loggerhead Sea Turtles also take

refuge in the sargassum and use it as a food source. Other marine life that use the Sargassum

Habitat Restricted include; dolphins, juvenile Jacks and Pufferfish, and filefish.

Beneath the Weedline: Exploring Sargassum Habitat

Center for Sport fish Science and Conservation


Name_____________________________________________________________

What is the marine food web for the Pelagic Sargassum Habitat Restricted Area? Write the name of the

marine species on the

Apex Predators

Second Tier

Third Tier

Plants


Food Web Activity

Word Box

Great White Shark Juvenile Jacks Sargassum Fish Sea turtles

Yellowfin Tuna Dolphin Fish Sargassum Planehead Fish

Photograph by:

South Atlantic Fishery

Management Council


Name_____________________________________________________________

Practice geography skills as you add the pings from sharks tagged during the Lowcountry

Expedition and your favorite sharks opinion on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker.

Lowcountry Expedition Map

Weimar

Savannah

Hilton

Beaufort


Tracking Technology

PSAT tag: The Pop-off Satellite Archival Tag can record data and take measurements of water

temperature, salinity, depths, and location. This tag stays on the shark for a certain amount of

time and then the battery dissolves the tag attachment, and the tag releases and “pops-up” on

the waters surface and transmits it’s location to a satellite for retrieval. This tag is usually

placed at the bottom of the dorsal fin.

S.P.O.T tag: Smart Position Or Temperature transmitting tags are used to track apex predator

sharks in real time . They are the most advanced tag and records database on salinity,

temperature, depth and location. When the SPOT tag is out of the water for 90 seconds, it

sends a signal to a satellite and transmits the data. This tag is placed toward the top of the

dorsal fin. The ping is then uploaded onto the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker.

Internal Acoustic tag: Internal Acoustic Tags are surgically placed in the space near the stomach

of the shark and closed up with a couple of stitches. It is a very small cut and the shark heals

very quickly. The tag will send sounds that are picked up by a receiver and the tag number is

recorded.

When you see a shark ping in on the OCEARCH

Global Shark Tracker, the pings is the result of

the shark’s SPOT tag sending a signal to a

satellite, telling where a shark is located.

That information is used to track the migration

patterns of the shark and see where it is and

when it’s been there.

We can learn all kinds of different things about

sharks from the tags that are on them. Each

tag gives a different set of data or is put on a

shark for different reasons.

Let’s look at the tags that OCEARCH scientists

and researchers use to learn more about Great

White Sharks!


Tagging and Tracking Great White Sharks

Name _____________________________________________________________

Use the information about the tags above, to label places on the shark where researchers put

the tags, when they’re on expedition with OCEARCH. Then and then cut out the tags and paste

them in the squares or on the shark.

P.S.A.T. tag S.P.O.T tag Internal Acoustic tag


Tagging and Tracking Trivia

Name___________________________________________________________

Use the information about tags from page 4 to answer the tagging and tracking trivia questions

below.

1. Which kind of tag needs to be out of the water for 90 seconds to send a

signal to a satellite for real-time tracking data?

A. P.S.A.T. tag

B. S.P.O.T tag

C. Internal Acoustic tag

2. Which kind of tag in placed in cavity near the stomach of the shark?

A . P.S.A.T. tag

B. S.P.O.T. Tag

C. Internal Acoustic tag

3. Label the tags.


OCEARCH Ship Tour

Name _______________________________________________________________________

Take a tour of the MV OCEARCH to answer the questions below. Match the name of the place

on the ship to its description.

1. _____It is the place where the crew eats their meals. A. Bow

2. _____Where Captain Brett McBride drives the ship. B. Galley

3. _____The area where gear an tackle is kept. C. Bridge

4. _____The name of the place where the crew sleeps. D. Stern

5. _____The large outside area of the ship where the safe boat is kept. E. Deck

6. _____The name of the area with 8 bunks. It used to be a crab pot. F. Starboard

7. ______The place where a breeze can be felt as you head to the back of the ship. G. Port

8. ______This is the term for the front part of the ship. H. Breeze Way

9. ______This is the term for the back of the ship. I. Tackle Room

10. ______ This is the term for the left side of the ship. J. The Ocho

11. ______This is the term for the right side of the ship. K. Bunk Room


Engineer like a Fishing Master!

Grades 6 and up

N.G.S.S. : Engineering Design: MS ETS1-1-4 and HS-ETS1-1-4

Introduction

Captain Brett McBride is an expert waterman, fisherman, boat captain, and fishing engineer.

Each expedition presents its own set of challenges and obstacles on and off the water. Little

is known about white sharks in the North Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, scientists need safe

access to these apex predators in order to gather telemetry data and biological samples. To

do this, they look to Captain McBride and the fishing team, to safely find, capture, and release

these sharks. Finding, tagging, and releasing white sharks that can reach 16 feet and weigh

3,500 pound sharks isn’t easy. It requires intuition, experience, and mental toughness. It can

be hard on gear, and be physically straining on the crew. This collaboration though, is

providing unprecedented access and data that is used to help manage these and other species

of sharks toward abundance for a healthy ocean.

Captain McBride has to use ingenuity, leadership, and critical thinking skills to serve the

ocean, help scientists, and care for each shark that comes on the lift.

You can use these skills to solve problems, create new inventions, and show leadership too!

Activity

Watch the “OCEARCH Lowcountry Fishing Brief” and “OCEARCH at PRSF Maritime Center”

to see how Captain McBride uses these skills. There are 2 scenarios as part of this activity;

one is a problem to solve, and one is in need of an invention. Go through the steps on the

pages below, and conquer your own set of obstacles! These scenarios can be solved as

individuals or in a group. You can also share and discuss your ideas, applications, and

conclusions at the end of class!

The Steps

To work through these scenarios, here are some steps you can follow to help guide you.

1. Identify the need or the problem.

2. Research and brainstorm ideas

3. Create or Design

4. Budget materials

5. Construction

6. Implement Your Plan

7. Need to Redesign?

8. Conclusions


Engineering like a Fishing Master!

Grades 6 and up


Scenario 1: We’re going to need a better rope.

Researchers are looking to gather data on a large, mature, female white shark. The

data gathered about her may give researchers the answers they need about female

white shark reproduction. They are hoping to be able to get the first pregnant white

shark ultrasound and hormone levels. You are assigned to the OCEARCH fishing

team and to find, tag, and release the safely. While fishing, you see a 16 foot, 3500

pound female white shark, like Mary Lee, investigating the tuna head you have on

the end of a large circle hook and that hook is attached to a 4 ply poly rope. The

shark swallows the tuna and the hook is placed on the side in the corner of her

mouth. However, when the shark bites down on the tuna and hook, it also bites

through the rope. The shark swims away and spits out the circle hook, getting a

free meal. The rope wasn’t strong enough to withstand the force of her bite, nor

the her sharp, serrated teeth.

We’re going to need a better rope. We can’t use cable alone, because it could cut

into the shark or the hands of the crew member holding the cable. The material of

the rope is great because it is able to float and doesn’t corrode. What would you

do? What could design and create to solve the problem?


Engineering like a Fishing Master!

Grades 6 and up


Scenario 2: Design A Decoy

Scientists and researchers need more telemetry data and biological samples from

immature male white sharks in the North Atlantic Ocean. Little is known about the

diet of young, immature white sharks though, and you are asked to lead the

OCEARCH fishing team in an area that you haven’t been before. The tracking data,

and time of year, indicates that these immature white sharks use this area

frequently. You decide to bring the white sharks closer to the boat, by making a

decoy. A decoy will get the shark’s attention, causing it to investigate it with its

mouth. When it opens its mouth, you can then bait the shark with the fish and place

the circle hook in the corner of its mouth. The bait and switch technique. Baiting

the shark in this way keeps stress at a minimum.

Since you are unsure what the shark’s interest would be in a decoy, what shape

decoy would you use? Why? What material or materials would you make it out of?

How will you get it to float? Would you add any modifications to a traditional

decoy? Plan and design a decoy for an immature white shark to help the science

team collect the samples and gather the data thy need to help manage white sharks

toward abundance.


Engineering A Plan!

Grades 6 and up


Name______________________________________________________________

Use the steps below to complete the task and solve the problem or identify the

need in the above scenarios.

Step 1: Identify the need or the problem.

Step 2: Research and brainstorm ideas

Step 3: Create or Design


Engineering A Plan!

Grades 6 and up


Use the steps below to complete the task and solve the problem or identify the

need in the above scenarios.

Step 4: Materials needed

Step 5: Construction

Step 6: Implement your plan. Hypothesize what would happen best and worse

case scenario.

Step 7: Need to Redesign? _____________

Why or Why not?

Step 8: Reflection and Conclusions


Am I in Balance with the Ocean?

Essay and Reflection

Name_______________________________________________________________________

No matter what path we choose in life, we have opportunities to serve, and leave this world a

better place than how we found it. Everyone at OCEARCH believes they are meant to serve,

help, and protect, sharks and the ocean. Chris Fischer encouraged everyone on Lowcountry

Expedition to stop from time to time and think, “Am I in balance with the ocean? Am I taking

more from it, than I give back?” Reflect on this and write an essay about where you are in the

balance. Do you take more from the ocean than you give? Do you leave trash behind when you

go to the beach? Use a lot of single use plastic bags and bottles? Recycle? Do you go on beach

or park clean ups? What areas could you improve on?


Tagging Sharks with OCEARCH on Lowcountry Expedition

Name________________________________________________ Date__________________

Watch the tagging videos or Periscopes of sharks tagged during Lowcountry Expedition by

OCEARCH to answer the questions below. You may want to see the video two times. The first

time watch and listen to the entire video to hear about the exciting science and data being

collected on Great White Sharks during their expedition . The second time watching, try to

listen for the answers as you fill in the blanks.

1. Where is OCEARCH on expedition? ___________________________________________

2. What size range are the great white sharks that OCEARCH has been seeing?

______________________________________________________________

3. What other species of shark did they tag during Expedition Lowcountry ?

____________________________________________________________

4. How many female white sharks has OCEARCH tagged in the North Atlantic previous to

this expedition? ________ How many sharks have they tagged now?_______________

5. Who is the chief scientist on this expedition? __________________________________

6. Name one of the research institutions or aquariums mentioned on expedition.

___________________________________________________________________

7. What are the life stages and sexes of the sharks on this expedition?

8. Name one of the tests that scientists perform when a shark is on the lift .

________________________________________________________________

9. What are they hoping to learn from the sharks tagged during the Lowcountry Expedition?

______________________________________________________________________

10. What’s the most interesting thing you learned from the OCEARCH video?

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