1st Place Underwater Conservation
Victor Huertas
“Release of Newborn Blacktip Shark During Study on Shark Adaptation to Climate Change“
Victor Huertas won a Bluewater Photo or Bluewater Travel Gift Certificate!
The Story:
Professor Jodie Rummer releases a newborn blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in Mo’orea, French Polynesia, after tagging it, and collecting biometric data. Professor Rummer leads Physioshark, a research team headquartered at James Cook University in Australia that investigates the impact of climate change on the physiological performance of newborn sharks in tropical shark nurseries. These habitats typically occur in shallow waters and are therefore highly exposed to rising temperatures and lower oxygen concentrations. Scientists are untangling the challenges newborn sharks face in such rapidly changing environmental conditions. Professor Rummer and her students have so far been able to show how despite the burden climate change is placing on the physiology of young sharks, these are displaying an exceptional resilience to these changes, giving scientists hope that they will be able to adjust to a warming ocean.
Location:
Papeto’ai, Mo’orea, French Polynesia
Equipment Used:
- Camera: Canon 5D Mark II
- Housing: Aquatica Canon 5D Mark II Housing
- Lens: Sigma 15mm F2.8 Fisheye Lens
- Lights/Strobes: Dual Ikelite DS161 Strobes
Camera Settings:
- Aperture: F14
- Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec
- ISO: 160
