Family Bonds Influence Bull Shark Social Lives
New research from Fiji suggests that adult bull sharks exhibit 'kinfluence,' a tendency to socialize and associate with their relatives. While sex, age, and size are stronger factors, this study provides the first evidence of kinship-based social structures in adult shark populations.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges the perception of large sharks as purely solitary predators and deepens our understanding of marine social behavior.
Bull sharks have a slight preference for spending time with their relatives, new research shows .
Scientists used genetic data and six years of observations at Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji, where adult bull sharks regularly gather.
The results show most of the sharks are not closely related - but individuals are slightly more likely to associate and socialise with relatives than unrelated sharks.
Researchers - from the University of Exeter, Fiji Shark Lab and Lancaster University - coined the term "kinfluence" to describe the influence of kinship on social structure and social behaviour.
"Large sharks are often seen as solitary, but our previous research showed that bull sharks actively choose their social partners," said lead author Natasha D. Marosi, from the University of Exeter and founder of Fiji Shark Lab.
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