No apparent negative tagging effects after 13 years at liberty for lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris implanted with acoustic transmitter

An intact and uncompromised internal acoustic transmitter was non-lethally recovered from a lemon shark Negaprion brevirostris, after 13 years at liberty. The shark, first tagged at an estimated age of 2 years old near South Bimini, Bahamas in 2004, was recaptured in 2017 with a total length of 264 cm. The tagged shark displayed typical growth rate, pregnancy, natal homing and pupping behaviour of other individuals in this population. This observation provides important evidence regarding the effects from long-term retention of implanted acoustic transmitters in a carcharhinid shark.

Endoscopy in sharks

The importance of the shark species as ambassadors for the ocean ecosystems within public aquariums, and an ever increasing understanding of their importance as keystone species in those ecosystems, has resulted in more and more opportunities for the veterinary profession to interact with these charismatic fish. Although still in its infancy in aquatic medicine, endoscopy has the potential to be a valuable tool in the management of captive and free-ranging sharks. When contemplating an endoscopic procedure in a shark, the clinician must consider the unique anatomy of the species, the nature of the immobilization planned, and the performance of the procedure itself. Endoscopy should be considered as an adjunct procedure in the clinical management of captive sharks, and may have an important role in the scientific monitoring of free-ranging shark populations.