The Social Shark

Lemon sharks have personalities, make friends, use body language and learn tricks. They’re forcing us to rethink how we see big sharks.

- Helen Scales

Of nearly 500 shark species that cruise the oceans today, one in particular is a scientific superstar. In the crystalline waters of the Bahamas, the lemon shark has been studied continuously for several decades. This beautiful and charismatic fish has become probably the best-known shark in the world. And as marine biologists continue to learn more about what makes the lemon shark tick, they’re overturning many of our long-held preconceptions about the lives of large, predatory sharks.

Lemon sharks have a wide range, around the coasts and islands of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific. Life can be tough for the pups. From the moment they’re born they have to learn to fend for themselves. That’s normal for sharks – whether they hatch from a leathery egg-case or swim straight into the sea from their mother, as lemon sharks do, the youngsters are always left on their own. But for young lemon sharks, the sea is especially dangerous.

For starters, the naive, 60cm-long pups run a high risk of getting eaten during their first few weeks of life – and not just by other predators, but by members of their own species, too. When female lemon sharks come to pupping grounds found in shallow inshore waters, large males will be often come sniffing around the area looking for a snack.

Starvation is another big threat. As newborns, lemon sharks have huge livers packed with oil. Similar to an egg’s yolk, this is how the mother provides energy for her pups to see them through the first few weeks of their lives. But the clock starts counting down as soon as they’re born, so pups need to learn how to hunt and feed themselves before they’ve used up their reserves. And they don’t always get it right first time.