Studying sharks with Pelagios
By Elena Milanesi
The sidewalk “Malecón” during sunset
A few weeks after my return to Italy, I still feel a deep nostalgy for La Paz and for everything that in these almost two months, I had the opportunity to experience thanks to my internship. If I had to sum up my experience of studying with Pelagios Kakunja in one word, without any doubt, I would choose: emotional! From the first days I immediately fell in love with the climate, the beautiful Malecon, the colours and sounds of La Paz, a completely different world compared to the one I had left behind in Italy. I arrived on Saturday, so I had the weekend to explore all the corners (and murals) of the city and start to acclimatise well: tasting my first tacos, learning my first words of Spanish, and watching the first breath-taking sunsets.
Whale Shark Monitoring on the research boat "Tiburon martillo"
The first week was the training week. From day one Darren, my point of reference throughout my internship period, explained to me with presentations and subsequent practical activities the different projects that were being carried out in parallel by the association: from the use of BRUVS with the nursery grounds of sharks, pelagic monitoring projects to monitoring the abundance and health status of shark species and the chance to be part of the artisanal fish camp monitoring project.
One of the things I loved the most, among the many, of my internship experience with Pelagios, was the possibility to do a lot of activities on the boat, the only one that allows you to know and learn the real field work of the researcher, hard and beautiful at the same time, learning to accept the unpredictability of nature and weather conditions that can be encountered at any time. On my very first day, we went out in the sea for the night fishing activity; unluckily we encountered strong wind and very turbulent sea conditions but the only fact of finally being in the field in the sea, on my only first day of work, was something that made me forget even the harshest conditions: I was happy and already aware that I had come to the right place.
Night Fishing in the bay of La Paz
Throughout my stay I had the opportunity to be involved in several expeditions: from exploring the mangroves and visiting the small island inhabited by a historic fishing family, "El Pardito"; to monitoring the main pelagic species in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo; to assisting in the tagging expedition on the beautiful island of Espíritu Santo. What fascinated me most during these expeditions, was the interaction with the fishermen and the importance this has, for the shark biologist, in carrying out the various conservation and research projects. I was so fascinated by this world, that during the expedition I accepted to extend my stay up to 4 days: disconnected from the outside world and surrounded only by nature, I had the chance to discover and learn more about the world of fishermen, discovering the simplicity and beauty of this lifestyle.
Preparation of the Nursery BRUVS
Fish Camp Isla Partida
Pelagic BRUVS Retrieval in Cabo San Lucas
The various hours spent on the boat were alternated with data analysis work in the office: from analysing BRUVS videos; to compiling excel sheets; to using identification software for Photo-ID analyses allowing me to identify individuals within the different shark species sighted in the various study areas. In particular during my stay, I analysed photos and added new individuals of shark species, sighted in Cabo San Lucas and Cabo Pulmo. Silky sharks were the first shark I saw during my study period with Pelagios, and my first ever in the water! Having the opportunity to observe them so closely is an indescribable emotion, one that I will probably never forget: they are curious, elegant, strong and aesthetically perfect; for this last characteristic and for the fact that during the summer months they can form aggregations of up to 100 individuals, it is very difficult to study them through simple photo identification and for this reason during my stay I helped Darren to prepare the first identification tags for the mark and recapture project, designed specifically for this species.
Preparation of 24h BRUV, first deployment
Photo-ID work with Bull Shark
The internship has been very dynamic and stimulating; another positive aspect of working with Pelagios team, is that from day one you feel part of the research team and actively involved in any ongoing projects. Moreover, Darren allows you to assist and be personally involved in devising new projects and challenges. One such challenge during my stay was the design of the “Time-Extended (24h) BRUV”; it was amazing to test the complete structure at sea during my last few days on the boat and see how well worked the structure.
Female Whale Shark in the Bay of La Paz
I can't say I wasn't lucky during my time in La Paz; despite arriving at the exact end of whale shark season, from my third week onwards we had the honour and incredibly good fortune to swim with a total of 6 female whale sharks, potentially pregnant, which are extremely rare and difficult to spot. No one expected this and it was perhaps this that made it all more special and exciting. Swimming alongside this giant of the sea (the largest individual sighted was about 12 metres long) was an indescribable emotion, I felt extremely grateful to be living such a magical moment.
“Captain Elena” for a little bit
Without a doubt, I could not have chosen a better place for my internship. I had the opportunity to study in one of the most biodiverse places, in a few weeks I swam with sharks, orcas, mobulas and sea lions. During these intense and amazing 7 weeks I finally understood to be in the right direction. Thank you, Darren, and thank you Pelagios for giving me this incredible opportunity; you made me deeply passionate about the shark research area and at the same time you made me feel part of something big and special, making me live the most rewarding and exciting experience ever! I will always carry in my heart all that I learned and all the fantastic people I met in Mexico; every emotion I experienced left a deep mark that I will never forget. See you soon La Paz and Pelagios!
Blog publication date: August 24, 2021