Unraveling the Mystery of Tiger Sharks in Maui

TLDRPaige Burnley, a shark researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, is on a mission to understand why Maui has a higher number of shark attacks. With the help of her team, Paige uses camera and acoustic transmitters to study the behavior of tiger sharks. By tagging and tracking these sharks, Paige hopes to uncover the reasons behind the seasonal influx of tiger sharks in Maui.

Key insights

🦈Maui experiences a higher number of shark attacks compared to other islands in Hawaii.

📷Paige deploys camera and accelerometer packages on free swimming tiger sharks to gather data about their behavior.

🔎The behavior of tiger sharks in Maui during winter differs from their behavior on other islands in Hawaii.

🏊‍♂️Paige free dives with tiger sharks to study their mating behavior and gather video evidence.

🔬Paige hopes to develop a tagging technique that is minimally invasive and can provide evidence of shark mating behavior.

Q&A

Why does Maui have more shark attacks?

—The exact reason for the higher number of shark attacks in Maui is still unknown. Paige Burnley and her team are studying the behavior of tiger sharks to uncover the mystery.

What is Paige Burnley's research technique?

—Paige uses camera and accelerometer packages to collect data on the behavior of tiger sharks. She also dives with the sharks to study their mating behavior.

How do tiger sharks behave in Maui during winter?

—Tiger sharks in Maui exhibit different behavior patterns during winter compared to other islands in Hawaii. Paige Burnley aims to understand why they converge in high numbers in one location.

What is the significance of studying tiger shark mating behavior?

—Studying the mating behavior of tiger sharks can provide valuable insights into their reproductive cycle and contribute to their conservation efforts.

What is Paige's goal with the tagging technique?

—Paige aims to develop a tagging technique that is minimally invasive and can provide concrete evidence of shark mating behavior, helping to solve the mystery of tiger sharks in Maui.

Timestamped Summary

00:01Maui experiences a higher number of shark attacks than other islands.

00:25Paige uses camera and accelerometer packages to gather data on tiger shark behavior.

03:14The behavior of tiger sharks in Maui during winter is different from other islands.

05:58Paige dives with tiger sharks to study their mating behavior.

06:57Paige aims to develop a minimally invasive tagging technique for studying shark mating behavior.

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