As the earth warms, so do its waters. And that means there are certain shifts for sea creatures — from changes in migration patterns, eating habits and population numbers. That includes the sharks that inhabit the waters along North Carolina’s coast.
Beach goers may — or may not — like to think about this truth: we share the waters with these fish. And although they have a certain blood thirsty reputation thanks to movies such as "Jaws," there’s actually a lot that scientists are still trying to understand about these creatures. What we do know is that sharks are at the top of the food chain and the health of shark populations can indicate the well-being of the larger ecosystem.
On this Charlotte Talks, we talk to a team of UNC experts who are dedicated to better understanding and protecting the sharks in our waters. We’ll dive into the impact of climate change on sharks, their behavior and the role they play in the ecosystem, shark bites and encounters, as well as the dangers of mislabeling seafood, which includes shark meat you can buy at the grocery store.
GUESTS:
John Bruno, marine ecologist and professor in the Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill
Joel Fodrie, professor and the director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill
Savannah Ryburn, marine ecologist who earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
