Sharkbook is a global database for identifying and tracking

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish characterized by a ribless endoskeleton, dermal denticles, five to seven gill slits on each side, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the ...

s, particularly

whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter feeder, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known Extant taxon, extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of . The whale shark holds many records for ...

s, using uploaded photos and videos.In addition to identifying and tracking sharks, the site allows people to "adopt a shark" and get updates on specific animals.

Creation

Sharkbook is the result of collaboration between

Simon J Pierce Simon J Pierce is a marine biologist and conservationist known for discovering, studying, and protecting large marine animals such as whale sharks and manta rays. He is the co-founder and principal scientist of the Marine Megafauna Foundation. ...

of the

Marine Megafauna Foundation The Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF) is a Marine biology, marine biology research and Conservation biology, conservation nonprofit known for discovering, researching, and protecting large marine animals including whale sharks, manta rays, sea t ...

and Jason Holmberg of Wild Me. The software is

Open Source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...

and is now being used by other biology projects. TubbatahaReef

Identification of individual sharks

Whale sharks have unique spot patterning on their sides, similar to a human fingerprint, which allows for individual identification.

Scuba divers Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scuba'' is an acronym for ...

around the world can photograph sharks and upload their identification photographs to the Sharkbook website, supporting global research and conservation efforts. Additionally, the software automatically searches social media sites like YouTube and Instagram to look for images of whale sharks and adds them to the database. Sharkbook software uses special pattern-matching software to identify the unique spots on each shark. This software and algorithms were originally adapted from

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

star tracking software used on the

Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope (HST or Hubble) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was not the Orbiting Solar Observatory, first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most ...

. This software uses a

scale-invariant feature transform The scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) is a computer vision algorithm to detect, describe, and match local '' features'' in images, invented by David Lowe in 1999. Applications include object recognition, robotic mapping and navigation, ...

(SIFT) algorithm, which can cope with complications presented by highly variable spot patterns and low contrast photographs.

Purpose

This

citizen science The term citizen science (synonymous to terms like community science, crowd science, crowd-sourced science, civic science, participatory monitoring, or volunteer monitoring) is research conducted with participation from the general public, or am ...

tool is free to use by researchers worldwide. Sharkbook represents a global initiative to centralize shark sightings and facilitate research on these vulnerable species.{{Cite journal , last1=Araujo , first1=Gonzalo , last2=Agustines , first2=Ariana , last3=Tracey , first3=Brian , last4=Snow , first4=Sally , last5=Labaja , first5=Jessica , last6=Ponzo , first6=Alessandro , date=2019-11-20 , title=Photo-ID and telemetry highlight a global whale shark hotspot in Palawan, Philippines , journal=

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

, language=en , volume=9 , issue=1 , pages=17209 , doi=10.1038/s41598-019-53718-w , pmid=31748588 , pmc=6868279 , bibcode=2019NatSR...917209A , issn=2045-2322

References

Marine biology Sharks Citizen science

Creation

Identification of individual sharks

Purpose

See also

References