Large sharks exhibit varying behavioral responses to major hurricanes

Under global climate change, storm events are predicted to increase in strength and frequency. Although aquatic animals can be affected by acute natural disturbances, information on the immediate consequences of these weather systems behavioral ecology highly mobile predators remains limited. Here we examine spatial distributions, activity spaces, ecological change-points four large shark species (mean: 193 cm fork length ± 70 SD) via passive acoustic telemetry two different locations subtropical Atlantic (Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas, Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA) relation separate major hurricane (category 4 5). We tested whether sharks would evacuate shallow coastal habitats (and thus exit arrays) during hurricanes exhibit comparable size spaces pre- post-storms, as has been previously found for smaller (50–150 length) elsewhere. Located northwest edge Little an array consisting 32 receivers tracking tiger Galeocerdo cuvier sustained a direct hit from Hurricane Matthew 2016. Daily detections tagged within were consistent before hurricane. Immediately following storm, daily approximately doubled. Size extent space post-storm. off Miami, bull Carcharhinus leucas, nurse Ginglymostoma cirratum, great hammerhead Sphyrna mokarran was exposed tropical-storm-force winds Irma 2017. As eye passed 140 km west, most present no longer detected, while remained at near Miami. Numbers declined Irma, whereas other did not. Ecological change point analyses indicated that seasonal changes - rather than conditions cannot ruled out primary driver post-storm behavior. Unlike which have water storms, variable responses events.