Publications by authors named "C Huveneers"

Killer whales () have been documented to prey on white sharks (), in some cases causing localised shark displacement and triggering ecological cascades. Notably, a series of such predation events have been reported from South Africa over the last decade, with killer whales specifically targeting sharks' liver. However, observations of these interactions are rare, and knowledge of their frequency across the world's oceans remains limited.

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In the open ocean, achieving camouflage is complicated by the fact that the downwelling light is generally much brighter than the upwelling light, which means that any object, even if its ventral surface is white due to countershading, will appear as a dark silhouette when viewed from below. To overcome this, many marine species employ counterillumination, whereby light is emitted from photophores on their ventral surface to replace the downwelling light blocked by their body. However, only a single behavioral study has tested the efficacy of counterillumination as an anti-predation strategy.

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Estimates of abundance are essential to manage and conserve marine species. Numerous methods are available to determine population size, but the suitability of methods for schooling fishes and the associated precision can vary depending on the species and system. Here, we developed and compared three mark-recapture/resight methods to assess the most robust method to estimate the abundance of silver trevally (Pseudocaranx georgianus).

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Article Synopsis
  • Sharks play many important roles in their ecosystems, like being predators and helping transport nutrients.
  • Sadly, overfishing and other human activities have hurt shark populations, which changes how ecosystems work.
  • To fix the problems caused by losing sharks, we need to manage their populations better and understand all the ways they help the environment.
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The frequency of unprovoked shark bites is increasing worldwide, leading to a growing pressure for mitigation measures to reduce shark-bite risk while maintaining conservation objectives. Personal shark deterrents are a promising and non-lethal strategy that can protect ocean users, but few have been independently and scientifically tested. In Australia, bull (Carcharhinus leucas), tiger (Galeocerdo cuvier), and white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are responsible for the highest number of bites and fatalities.

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