Name:______Period:______

Animal Planet: “Jungle Shark 2016”

Background info: Dr. Craig O'Connell and shark photographer Andy Casagrande travel up the Serena River in the rainforests of Costa Rica to try and find out why young bull sharks swim up the river, and how they avoid the very large American crocodiles living there.

TV-PGCCRuntime:41 minutesRelease date:June 29, 2016

Directions: while watching this research documentary answer the following questions and complete the steps to the scientific method of the “Jungle shark” experiment.

Questions:

  1. Why are bull sharks a public health concern?Bull sharks actually account for the largest percentage of shark attacks on humans, not great whites as many people believe.
  1. What are some of the unusual characteristics of bull sharks?Bull sharks have the ability to live in both freshwater and saltwater.
  1. What specific anatomy and physiology adaptation does bull sharks have that allows them to swim in fresh water?Bull Sharks have a specialized kidney system that rapidly excrete water from the shark.
  1. What would happen if another species of salt water shark swam into fresh water?They would be unable to maintain water balance in their cells causing the cells to explode and the shark would die.
  1. How did Dr. Craig O'Connell and shark photographer Andy Casagrande prove that young bull sharks are swimming in fresh water?They actually went fishing for bull sharks and caught several in a freshwater river.
  1. What are pheromones and what are the scientists trying to do with these pheromones?Pheromones are chemicals secreted from specific cells in an organism that are used as chemical messages or chemical communication between organisms.

Scientific method of the “jungle shark” Experiment:

Abstract: (3-4 sentences explaining the background info & overall experiment)

Problem (write it in a form of a question)

Hypothesis: (If/then statement)

Materials: (list materials the scientist used during the experiment)

Methods: (step by step plan of how experiment was run)

Data: (Create an excel graph using the data below, copy and paste graph to word document with your name on top, print and attach to the back of this paper)

Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks, 1958–2014
Region / Total
Attacks / Fatal
Attacks / Last
Fatality
United States
(Excluding Hawaii) / 1104 / 35 / 2012
Australia / 665 / 234 / 2016
Africa / 346 / 94 / 2015
Asia / 129 / 48 / 2000
Hawaii / 137 / 10 / 2015
Pacific Islands/Oceania
(Excluding Hawaii) / 126 / 49 / 2016
South America / 117 / 26 / 2015
AntillesandBahamas / 70 / 16 / 2013
Middle America / 56 / 27 / 2011
Europe / 51 / 27 / 1989
New Zealand / 49 / 9 / 2013
Réunion Island / 38 / 18 / 2015[3]
Unspecified / Open Ocean / 21 / 7 / 1995
Bermuda / 3 / 0 / —
Total: / 2,899 / 548 / 2016
Sources:Australian Shark Attack Filefor unprovoked attacks in Australia
International Shark Attack Filefor unprovoked attacks in all other regions
Last Updated: 19 February 2015

Analysis: (1-2 sentences explaining your graph)

Conclusion: (what was the overall findings of Dr. Craig O'Connell and shark photographer Andy Casagrande “Jungle shark research)

Future research: (what is the next step of the “jungle shark” experiment)