Research at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has taken a turn for the extraordinary after one of their ocean cameras, attached to a nurse shark, captured a rare interaction with a great white. The four-minute encounter off the coast of Boynton Beach has captured the attention of scientists and shark enthusiasts alike, offering a unique perspective on the unexpected meeting of two different shark species.
The camera was designed to record video footage and gather 3D acceleration data, akin to the pedometer function found on smartphones. The research, led by FAU's Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., a professor of biological sciences, has primarily focused on sharks such as blacktips, hammerheads, and lemon sharks. However, the great white that photobombed their nurse shark subject provided an "epic" new insight, as Genevieve Sylvester, a master's student on the team, noted in a statement detailed by FOX35 Orlando. "When we saw the great white shark appear – more than once – we couldn’t believe it," Sylvester recounted.
According to WFLA, this sighting is particularly noteworthy given the recent reports by divers of great white sightings in the area. The chance encounter on the footage piques curiosity around the migratory patterns and behavior of these apex predators, who are known to head as far south as Florida during the colder months. Dr. Kajiura emphasized the rarity of the footage, saying, "Our footage clearly showed a great white, estimated to be at least 10 feet long, and reveals a rare moment of shark-on-shark action – or what we’re coining as a ‘shark photobomb.'"
The ongoing studies by FAU researchers are part of larger efforts to understand better the behavioral patterns of sharks in South Florida, where great whites are occasionally found, although typically further offshore in continental shelf waters. Those interested in tracking the migratory paths of great whites, especially as they make their way to warmer climes, can do so through OCEARCH's shark tracker.
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