Prey-Predator Dynamics Of Blacktip Reef Sharks And Sea Turtle Hatchlings

Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) area natural predator of sea turtle hatchlings and are frequently observed predating on hatchlings in Chagar Hutang bay as these enter the water for the very first (and sometimes last) time. Using the analysis of stable isotopes extracted from the tissues of sea turtle hatchlings and blacktip reef sharks, we aim to examine how changes in the abundance of turtle hatchlings across the nesting and monsoon seasons may influence the diets of blacktip reef sharks.

A small juvenile blacktip reef shark that was caught near the shore of Chagar Hutang beach