On November 1st, TKA students in grades 11th and 12th in Marine Biology Honors partnered with the University of Miami Shark Tagging Program to tag sharks. Students went out off the coast on research boats to find and tag sharks. Students had an immersive experience of tagging the sharks and measuring the length and width. Students were also able to touch any parasites found on the sharks. Students were able to examine researchers taking blood and skin samples.
Taylor Cytacki, a junior at TKA, says, “The experience was amazing we were out on the boat all day, and everyone got so excited when we caught the shark. It was really cool to see the genuine excitement from the whole crew they were very dedicated. The boat was awesome, and it was huge, with a galley and lots of space.”
After the shark has been tagged, the researchers, with the help of the students, humanely release the sharks back into the wild. Researchers look for patterns within the sharks’ movements and analyze the patterns found. A big research question while tagging the sharks was whether the sharks were traveling near fishing spots and why. Overall, the students had an incredible experience and a great opportunity to interact with the animals they study.
