Shark Queens: Rulers of the Ocean

• Male sharks are often presumed to be dominant, but the biggest, baddest, and fiercest sharks in the ocean are females.
• Female great white sharks can grow over 21 feet in length and weigh around two tons, needing to be larger to reproduce successfully.
• Pregnant female great white sharks can carry as many as 17 live young in utero, each measuring up to five feet long.
• Female great white sharks may be more voracious than males, possibly seeking out food in coastal zones due to physiological demands during pregnancy.
• Researcher Allison Towner tracks large female white sharks to uncover their movements and behavior in real time using acoustic transmitters.
• A team of scientists is studying shark personalities, with a focus on understanding the behaviors of bull sharks and tiger sharks in different contexts.
• Large female sharks, like female great whites and tigers, may exhibit dominance over males and show various levels of confidence and behavior towards humans.- Females are scoring higher than males in shark behavior studies.
• Marine biologist Eric Clua focuses on understanding shark behavior and human-shark conflict.
• Clua's theory suggests that sharks have individual personalities, with some being problem individuals that may attack humans.
• The behavior of problem individuals is believed to be linked to genetics, experience, and environment.
• Genetic analysis is used to identify potential problem individuals in shark populations.
• DNA sampling is done through less intrusive methods like collecting saliva samples.
• Tracking and studying individual shark behaviors help in understanding their unique personalities.
• Female sharks, especially the larger ones, exhibit dominance and unique behaviors.
• Pregnant female sharks may exhibit different behaviors, focusing on birthing rather than feeding.
• Researchers work on identifying dominant sharks to potentially understand problem individuals better and improve human-shark coexistence.

Explore the fascinating world of female shark dominance and behavior through this quiz. Learn about the unique behaviors of pregnant female great white sharks and the research conducted to understand their movements and personalities.