Bull shark <i>Carcharhinus leucas</i> recruitment into the St Lucia Estuary, South Africa, after prolonged mouth closure, and the first observation of a neonate bull shark preyed on by a Nile crocodile <i>Crocodylus niloticus</i>

Daly, Ryan; Noury, Patrice; Hempson, Tessa N.; Ziembicki, Mark; Olbers, Jennifer; Brokensha, G.M.; Mann, B.Q.

doi:10.2989/1814232x.2021.1964599

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Bull sharks have also been cut off from the sea and trapped in South Africas' Lake St. Lucia Estuary system after historic periods of near-continuous mouth closures, in some cases lasting over 10 years. Lake St. Lucia's Estuary system is known to be an important key nursery for bull sharks in the southwestern Indian Ocean (Daly et al 2021), and it is well-known for the development of increasing salinities (up to 100%) in the system during periods of droughts (Bass et al 1973). In contrast to Carbrook golf course lake, which is characterized by very low salinity conditions, bull sharks from Lake St. Lucia had to resist long-lasting hypersaline conditions, as drought has led to increasing salinities in most parts of this estuary system during times of mouth closures.…”

Section: Residential Time In the Golf Club Lakementioning

confidence: 99%

Whoʼs the biggest fish in the pond? The story of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in an Australian golf course lake, with deliberations on this speciesʼ longevity in low salinity habitats

Gausmann

2023

Mar Fish Sci

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This article addresses the history of a resident population of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in an isolated stagnant body of water in subtropical Australia. From 1996 to 2013, six bull sharks were landlocked in a golf course lake near Brisbane. The adjacent Logan and Albert rivers trapped sharks due to major floodings. When floodwaters receded, these sharks remained in the lake, which is normally isolated from the riverʼs main channel. While this event was extensively reported in the media and recieved much public attention, it has not been investigated in depth, yet it provides an opportunity for insights into the tolerance of bull sharks to low salinity habitats and euryhalinity in this species. Currently, information on the extent of the bull sharkʼs capability to endure low salinity conditions and its longevity in these environments is scarce. The case reported here provides information on the occurrence of bull sharks for 17 years, which represents the longest uninterrupted duration in a low salinity environment that ever has been recorded in this species. Bull sharks arrived first in the lake as juveniles but through time, they have reached maturity. This occurrence presents not just another ordinary bull shark record from a low salinity environment but instead a record of physiological and scientific importance. Therefore, details of the residency of C. leucas in an Australian golf course lake are reported here.

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Section: Residential Time In the Golf Club Lakementioning

confidence: 99%

Whoʼs the biggest fish in the pond? The story of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in an Australian golf course lake, with deliberations on this speciesʼ longevity in low salinity habitats

Gausmann

2023

Mar Fish Sci

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“…Otherwise, there is little information on shark/hippopotamus interactions. In contrast, in Lake St. Lucia, pups of C. leucas are prey of another apex predator, the large Nile crocodile (Croco dylus niloticus Laurenti, 1768), which also occurs in the lake (whitfield & BlaBer 1979;Perissinotto et al 2013;daly et al 2021).…”

Section: Nomentioning

confidence: 99%

Synopsis of global fresh and brackish water occurrences of the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas Valenciennes, 1839 (Pisces: Carcharhinidae), with comments on distribution and habitat use

Gausmann¹

2021

Integrative Systematics: Stuttgart Contributions to Natural His

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No. WC Toponym Country (State) References LHS Comments F Neuse River [35.10°N, -76.50°E] USA (NC) schwartz (1995, 1997, 2012); southern fried science (2011); BanGley et al. (2018a, 2018b) Juv Ad Tributary of the Pamlico Sound (No. 9). schwartz (1995) reported C. leucas at New Bern in summer F Cape Fear 14 inteGrative systematics No. WC Toponym Country (State) References LHS Comments F Pearl River-System [30.18°N, -89.57°E]

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“…In the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (iSimangaliso) and World Heritage Site MPA, on the east coast of SA, sharks and rays remain a significantly under-studied group, with few elasmobranch studies undertaken in this region ( Cliff et al, 2007 ; Daly et al, 2021 ; Dicken, 2014 ; Gifford et al, 2007 ; Olbers & Cliff, 2017 ). While coastal coral reef ecosystems are the focus ( Floros, Samways & Armstrong, 2004 ; Floros, Schleyer & Maggs, 2013 ; Schleyer et al, 2018 ), there is a lack of similar attention on soft sediment areas, which can be valuable to elasmobranchs, particularly to bottom-dwellers ( Pennino et al, 2013 ; Pierce, Scott-Holland & Bennett, 2011 ; Vaudo & Heithaus, 2009 ; Vaudo & Heithaus, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal changes characterise the shark and ray assemblages in a subtropical shallow sandy habitat in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

Ferreira

Alberts²,

Smith³

et al. 2023

PeerJ

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Understanding how environmental drivers influence shark and ray spatial and temporal patterns can provide crucial knowledge for their evidence-based protection and long-term monitoring. However, information on which drivers of variation are most important for elasmobranch communities on soft sediments is limited. Using baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs), we investigated how seasonal and environmental variables affected the elasmobranchs of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park marine protected area (MPA) in South Africa (SA). In total, 11 species were identified from 48 sites between 12 m and 33 m water depth in a sandy habitat. While species richness was similar across seasons, the total abundance of elasmobranchs recorded was higher in winter than summer. The species assemblage composition varied significantly between seasons, with the Human’s whaler shark Carcharhinus humani prevalent in summer and the Critically Endangered whitespotted wedgefish Rhynchobatus djiddensis more abundant during winter. Most species were sighted throughout the entire depth range, but rays were more common in shallower waters (< 25 m depth), while C. humani and R. djiddensis were more common in the deeper depth zone of this study. This research provides baseline information about this previously unexplored sandy habitat for elasmobranchs in a site of regional and global significance. Records of species of conservation concern in the sampling area highlight the importance of protecting sand environments within an MPA.

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Bull shark Carcharhinus leucas recruitment into the St Lucia Estuary, South Africa, after prolonged mouth closure, and the first observation of a neonate bull shark preyed on by a Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus

Cited by 7 publications

References 30 publications

Whoʼs the biggest fish in the pond? The story of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in an Australian golf course lake, with deliberations on this speciesʼ longevity in low salinity habitats

Whoʼs the biggest fish in the pond? The story of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in an Australian golf course lake, with deliberations on this speciesʼ longevity in low salinity habitats

Synopsis of global fresh and brackish water occurrences of the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas Valenciennes, 1839 (Pisces: Carcharhinidae), with comments on distribution and habitat use

Seasonal changes characterise the shark and ray assemblages in a subtropical shallow sandy habitat in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

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