The program of the scientific expedition on white sharks in South Africa… between particular and curiosity

(Gicar) – This morning members of the VIII expedition of study on white sharks in South Africa have started to make their exits in the water on scientific board “Barracuda” in order to collect data, processing of which will be presented in ‘framework of international conventions’ an will be the subject of thesis for students of various Italian universities including the University of Siena and the University of Calabria.

Very and complex will be the work that thay will undertaken with direct experience, even if the mission also provides many moments of study and reflection.

ill be full and intense day for the 18 participants in Gansbaai for professors, researchers, students and divers.
The program is so full of daily appointments beyond five hours a day (always in the morning, starting from 6.30) directly from the boat or cage attached to it for the harvest, on a special form, of data about white sharks with special reference to social behavior, predatory behavior of the surface, the discriminatory behavior across several passive prey.

During the afternoons and evenings, for a total of 4 hours per day, there are conferences on the following subjects: Biology of Sharks (Prof. P. Micallei), White Shark Biology and Ecology (Dr. S. Andreotti), Evolution of elasmobranchs (Prof . Micarelli), Strategies for Conservation of Elasmobranchs (Prof. E. Sperone), ethological methods of data collection (Prof. E. Sperone), Ecology of the ecosystem of Dyer Island (Michael Rutzen) Technique of free diving with great white shark (M. Rutzen) Paperback Talk. Units of Study and Research and Discussion of daily data collection.

During their stay in South Africa, is also scheduled an afternoon tour of the coast of South Africa 2 hours with identification of species of coastal shores and a dive in the afternoon of 4 hours in the Kelp forest with direct observation of the coastal and shark pajamas (Poroderma genres and Apoblepharus). This dive, very exciting, will be made by members of the expedition in snorkeling or diving. It is not difficult but in the forests of Kelp current is so strong that those who participate, whether attached to the fronds of Kelp, looks like a flag in the wind.

here will also be evening lectures on elasmobranchs, and more. Who will also be able to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town or make a minisafari half a day in a reserve, the ‘Eagles’ Center, also near Cape Town that is home to lions, zebras, rhinos, elephants and in which, by pickup may be made a tour-recognition of several hours.

After all this work, the components of the mission are still convinced that they can have free evenings to know Gansbaai ByNight!

There are many curiosity about the shipping and the participants… real “gems” for those who want to know a little more than the science aspects.

For example, not everyone knows that the silent ones in use are 5mm wet, very wet and that Prof. Micalli wears only prescription masks, being short-sighted.

As for the clothes every day, however, they have been advised the so-called “onion-style” because the weather in this region is very variable. Especially in the ship you can go from cold to hot weather and have been strongly recommended skin creams. We have to consider that now it is winter in South Africa and then in the evening is quite cool.

owever, we’ll never have imagined if it had not leaked some indiscretion, that everyone has to take pills against seasickness. Everyone but Emilio Sperone.

It seems, however, is equally true that 90% of humans suffer invariably the South African sea mainly because of the large roll of boats on the long wave.

Who are, in particular (here… >>> for individual profiles), the components of the ‘VIII scientific expedition in South Africa “Following the Great White Shark”?

SCIENTIFIC GUIDE:
Primo Micarelli (Head of Shipping and Biology Unit of Study and Research on White Sharks, University of Siena, Marine World Aquarium), Emilio Sperone (Coordination Unit of Study University of Calabria), Sandro Tripepi (Professor University of Calabria) PHOTO-VIDEO COLLECTION:Daniele Giglioli (Support Unit of Study and Research on White Sharks)

VETERANS:
Monica Vigna (University of Florence), Francesca Schillaci (University of Siena), Giuseppe Camigliano (University of Calabria), Augustine Leone (University of Calabria)

STUDENTS AND GRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY:
Simone Rizzuto (University of Siena), Fabiana Mele (University of Pisa), Patrizia Biasone (University of Calabria), Maria Ludovica Toraldo Serra (University of Calabria), Giovanni Parise (University of Calabria), Manuela Gargiulo (University of Naples) Damiano Cavagnoli (University of Calabria)

DIVERS:
Alberto Porcedda, Sandro Pilosio, Barbara Camassa

GUIDE and local experts in Gansbaai:
Michael Rutzen (Shark Diving Unlimited), Sara Andreotti (Collaborator Unit of Study and Research white shark, PhD Univ Stellenbosch South Africa)

EXTERNAL COLLABORATORS:
Franco Iosa, Enrico Rabboni, Andrea Amitrano

Translation – Marco Carra