Largest Expedition to Understand Sharks Sets Sail

Summary of Article:

• Scientists often "tag" animals in the wild, in order to track and study them. Today, the largest shark-tagging mission in U.S. history begins, as an expedition to tag great white sharks sets sail off of Massachusetts. The scientists hope to tag as many as 20 of the sharks, which are enormous and about which little is known. 
• The purpose of the mission is to learn about the sharks and their importance as the top predators in the ocean. Sharks as seen as vital to the proper functioning of ocean food. At least 100 million sharks are killed each year through hunting. 
• The sharks will be tagged through barbless hooks to minimally harm the animals. First a shark will be caught, reeled in and tagged with a GPS on their dorsal fin. Some tests will be then performed, looking at the shark's weight, height, and diet. The shark will then be released back to the ocean. During the 15 minutes of tagging and testing, the shark will remain submerged in seawater. The GPS will allow researcheres to see where they go, the depths they swim, their routes, etc. 
• For pictures and videos about tagging sharks, click here. 

 Questions for Kids: 

• What do you know about sharks? Believe it or not, scietnists know very little. That's why this expedition has set sail. What do scientists hope to learn? Why? 
• Why is it important to do the tagging quickly? (don't want to put too much stress on the sharks)
• What is the most interesting aspect of this expedition to you?