Jr. Beta’s Shark Researcher Visit

This month, Dr. Bryan Franks from Jacksonville University came to my school! He told us about OCEARCH, his lemon shark research study, tagging sharks, and a bunch of shark facts. It was a great experience for all of us. I am so happy Dr. Franks could come to my school. Now kids could see where the money I am raising from my Trash for Turtles (Plus!) project is going. They can make the connection and really want to help sharks.

Below are some “did you know’s” about sharks:

• Did you know the Cookie Cutter Shark is considered a parasite?
• Did you know sharks can range from the huge Whale Shark, the largest fish in the sea, to the smallest shark, the Dwarf Lantern Shark that only grows to the size of your hand?
• Did you know sharks belong to a group called elasmobranchs with rays and skates?
• Did you know the majority of elasmobranchs are rays not sharks?

I hope you enjoyed learning about research scientist Dr. Bryan Franks’ visit to talk to my school’s Jr. Beta Club about sharks. Special thanks to Dr. Bryan Franks for coming and giving us this excellent opportunity. Remember, a healthy shark population means a healthy ocean!

If you would like to support my mission to support shark research in Georgia, make sure to check out my project page.