A lone shark was caught on camera feeding on a huge school of Atlantic menhaden known as a "bunker pod." The encounter was caught in stunning footage and shared on social media.
Shark Feeds on Bunker Pod
On July 25, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation posted a video on Facebook featuring the amazing encounter between a requiem shark and a bunker pod. The post has since received over 8,800 views.
According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the state's most common requiem sharks are spinner, dusky, Atlantic blacktips, and sandbars. The agency added that this type of shark typically has light-colored undersides and ranges from gray to brown. Shark species might be hard to distinguish from one another since they are so numerous.
As a result, it is unclear exactly which species appear in the footage. Netizens were fascinated with the sight. Several reacted to the post, with one saying it was awesome and he loved to see the abundance of sea life.
A different Facebook user said it was "cool," while another said it was "fascinating."
Meanwhile, Cheryl DiGiacomo wondered if the shark would keep eating the fish until it was full because the lone shark was surrounded by what seemed to be thousands of Atlantic menhaden. She also wondered why the fish kept themselves together when they could disperse to increase their chance of survival.
David Vance responded to DiGiacomo's comment, noting that he wasn't a shark expert. However, he believed the shark would keep eating the fish until it was full.
He also disagreed that the fish would have a higher chance of survival if dispersed. Vance claimed that if they disperse, it would confuse the predator, but sticking together gives them a higher chance of survival because instead of them being consumed, the fish next to it is eaten. He noted that the clip showed how the school of fish moved out to give way to the shark, and they immediately reunited behind it. The sharks are using the "safety in numbers" mantra for him.
What Are Requiem Sharks
Requiem shark is a member of the Carcharhinidae genus. It is one of the world's most varied and widely dispersed families of sharks. Requiem sharks are feared ocean predators due to their streamlined forms, razor-sharp teeth, and aggressive demeanor, per American Oceans.
According to the NYS Department, requiem sharks are one of the largest groups of sharks and belong to the Carcharhinidae family. They have thin torpedo-shaped bodies, rounded snouts, and strong, aggressive swimmers.
One of the sharks' biggest and most well-known families is the Requiem family. These sharks come in 52 different species, including bull sharks, blacktip sharks, and tiger sharks. The Merriam-Webster dictionary claims that their name is derived from the French word requin, which means shark. Others, however, think that because of their exceptional hunting abilities, they were given the name Requiem, a reference to the Catholic burial liturgy.
Requiem sharks are the shark species that are most frequently involved in unprovoked attacks on humans, second only to the great white shark, which is a member of the mackerel shark family.
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