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Osbourne’s Day Out: North Rock Tank to North Rock – #Bermuda Shark Relocation

Osbourne the dusky shark has lived in the North Rock tank at the Bermuda Aquarium for 6 years. After having outgrown the tank and regularly sparring with a giant grouper named Vader, it was decided that for his, aquarium staff and the other tank inhabitants’ own safety he should be returned to the sea. But can a shark be returned back to the wild and survive after living for 6 years in captivity? Dusky sharks are considered “vulnerable” in the Atlantic and “near-threatened” around the world because of commercial and recreational fishing. What are Osbourne’s chances of making it in the wild? And does this heighten public fears about sharks in local Bermuda waters?

Where did Osbourne go? Osbourne the dusky shark was released back into the sea from the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo in March 2012. He was fitted with a PSAT tag just before his release. Dr. Neil Burnie explains where he has been.

The Bermuda Shark Project 

Bermuda Aquarium Museum & Zoo

Filmed by Milton Raposo Digital/ film:video:media:music

BIOS – 2009: Island Invasion, 400 Years of Change

Part one. BIOS Education Officer JP Skinner explains how and why Bermuda’s flora and fauna have changed since humans first arrived in 1609 and introduces the BioNauts to the concepts of ‘endemic’, ‘native’, ‘introduced’ and ‘invasive’ species.

Part two. The BioNauts make use of the ‘roving diver technique’ to investigate coral diversity at three underwater sites; a recent ship grounding, a several hundred year old wreck and a pristine coral reef. Then it’s off to Nonsuch Island see what Bermuda looked like 400 years ago!

Part three . The BioNauts compare the species diversity at Nonsuch Island to that of the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve and then, with the help of Alexander ‘Dready’ Hunter, begin the next phase of coastal restoration at the Nature Reserve. After that research scientist Jaret Bilewich leads the BioNauts on an expedition to survey the habitat range of a species of coral found in only one place in Bermuda.

Part four. Chris Flook from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo and coordinator of the Bermuda Lionfish Project explains the threat posed by the indo-pacific lionfish to Bermuda’s reef system. The BioNauts learn how the lionfish probably reached Bermuda, what’s being done to study it, control it and even eat it!

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

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