A lack of knowledge: bull shark nurseries!

Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) is working with scientists and community members to understand
how bull sharks use inland waters as nurseries in both Florida and North Carolina. After years of focused
research on manatees, attention is now shifting to bull sharks in Crystal River, Florida, where little data
currently exists regarding their population and nursery habitats. MISS Member Dr. Alyssa Andres posits
that Crystal River could be a crucial nursery for this species on Florida west coast, especially as water
conditions evolve. She started a new research initiative in collaboration with MISS that aims to quantify
and monitor the local bull shark population. The project involves the local community, particularly
fishermen, who provide valuable insights into the sharks’ daily presence and activities. For this project
Alyssa is tracking baby bull sharks using acoustic telemetry.

Why bull sharks in Crystal River?

​The project in North Carolina was actually initiated by community members and shark enthusiasts who
were curious about the shark populations in their area! Encounter NC is a small Instagram page where
community members share photos, information and encounters with sharks in a fun and engaging way.
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It’s led to a lot of interest in understanding the sharks in the area. Encounter NC decided to partner with
MISS to study these sharks in greater depth. Fortunately, one of our Friends of MISS, Dr. Chuck Bangley,
had already laid the groundwork for understanding the movements of bull sharks along the coast of NC
in his previous research. Thanks in large part to his research, Pamlico Sound in North Carolina is now
recognized as a key nursery area, potentially the northernmost for bull sharks along the U.S. Atlantic
coast, previously thought to extend only to the Indian River Lagoon in Florida.