Overview Research Education Conservation Monterey Bay Biology Images Staff Shop Contact Us

PSRF Shark Image Library

These images are for your personal enjoyment ONLY, and may not be reproduced or used in any other manner without permission from PSRF.

Blue & Mako | Misc. | White | Basking | Benthic | Stranded

Basking Sharks
PSRF research intern Susan Arnold of UCSC tags the dorsal of a 25' long basking shark in 200' feet of water near UCSC Long Marine Lab in the fall of 1991. PSRF has tagged a world record number of basking sharks since 1990. The record stands at 81 basking sharks tagged. Researchers at the Isle of Mann have tagged a similar number of basking sharks for DR Ken Watterson, and the record may change hands soon.
23K
Copyright PSRF
Basking shark breaching off the coast of Ireland.
Dr. Ken Waterson took this photo in 1992.

11K
Copyright PSRF
A 20'ft long basking shark cruises above the Soquel Canyon, Monterey bay, Autumn 1996.
17K
Copyright PSRF
PSRF Director Sean Van Sommeran and skiff pilot Francis Namkoong (not pictured) close with a basking shark in order to apply a marking CDFG ID tag. Since fall of 1990 the PSRF has tagged a world record number of basking sharks tagged with the present tally notched at 81 baskers tagged. Except for the Monterey bay basking sharks have not been tagged anywhere else along the entire West Coast. Basking sharks are highly elusive and poorly understood creature whose movements and migrations are a complete mystery. Tagging them is crucial to acquisition of these insights.
Lovejoy/PSRF

8K
Copyright PSRF
A basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus cruises the waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Basking sharks are the world's second largest known species of shark. Once abundant in the Monterey Bay there is a growing concern that this amazing species of shark has been negatively impacted by the harpoon fishery that crashed in the early 1950's as well as the ever-increasing pressures of human encroachment. Note that the shark is closely following another basker in a nose to tail formation. Sometimes several basking sharks will form up in this position. The significance of this behavior is the source of much speculation.
Van Sommeran/PSRF

9K
Copyright PSRF
Basking sharks, Cetorhinus maximus is the world's second largest known shark and like the even larger whale shark, Rhincodon typus it is a filter feeder that grazes on zooplankton. The basker's huge gill slits nearly circle its head. These gills have rigid arches, which have stiff gill-rakers that function much like whale baleen.
Van Sommeran/PSRF

6K
Copyright PSRF
An immense basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus turns away from a free diver. Basking sharks can reach lengths of over 40 feet although 25-30 footers are more common. They can appear singly or in the hundreds although they are not apparently as abundant as in the past. The shark in this photo was at least 30 feet long.
Van Sommeran/PSRF

6K
Copyright PSRF


[ home ] [ contact us ] [ support us ] [ shop ]
© Copyright 1990-2003 PSRF
All rights reserved.
Site Development by IT Director