Sharks are often viewed as solitary creatures, but new research reveals that sharks actually have rich networks and complex social lives.
Bull sharks cultivate a range of social relationships, from casual acquaintances to best friends and they even avoid certain sharks – according to a study, from the University of Exeter, University of Lancaster, Fiji Shark Lab and Beqa Adventure Divers.
The new study is based on six years of observations of 184 bull sharks in three age categories: sub-adult (not yet sexually mature), adult, and advanced-adult (post-reproductive age).
Researchers examined both broad-scale interactions, like individuals remaining within one body length of each other, and small-scale interactions, like parallel swimming and lead following.
