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Bull Sharks Form Social Relationships with Specific 'Friends,' Research Reveals
A six-year study of 184 bull sharks reveals they form selective social bonds, often preferring females, with adult sharks central to their social networks, researchers said.
- Researchers from the University of Exeter, University of Lancaster, Fiji Shark Lab, and Beqa Adventure Divers tracked 184 bull sharks over six years at Fiji's Shark Reef Marine Reserve, discovering they form intentional social bonds rather than mixing randomly.
- Historically viewed as solitary predators, bull sharks actually cultivate "rich and complex social lives," said behavioral ecologist Darren Croft of Exeter's Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour.
- Data analysis revealed 1,438 associations and 1,719 interactions, with adult females forming the "core" of networks while smaller males integrate socially to gain protection and resources, according to lead author Natasha Marosi.
- Protecting aggregation sites like the Reserve is essential for preserving these social networks, which facilitate foraging and reproduction, providing a roadmap for future sectoral-focused shark conservation policies.
- Scientists emphasize that much remains to be learned about whether these sharks hunt together or cooperate, signaling this finding is foundational to deeper investigation into shark social dynamics.
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Bull sharks tend to form long-term friendships with their fellow species.
·Budapest, Hungary
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Bull sharks form social relationships with specific 'friends,' research reveals
Sharks are often viewed as solitary, but a new study—carried out on the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji—has found that rather than mixing at random, bull sharks have "active social preferences" and choose their social partners. The research was carried out by the University of Exeter, University of Lancaster, Fiji Shark Lab, and Beqa Adventure Divers.
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources22
Leaning Left5Leaning Right1Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 33%
C 60%
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