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Biology of Sharks
Coastal’s Department of Marine Science offers an exceptional opportunity for field experience in Biology of Sharks at the Bimini Biological Field Station (BBFS) in the Bahamas. The course features lectures, discussions, analysis of research papers, frequent field trips, video presentations, and personal encounters with several species of large, actively feeding, and free-swimming sharks. Lectures focus on broad aspects of the biology of sharks, including: diversity, evolution, anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, fisheries, captive biology, conservation, and biomedical uses. The majority of the academic work will be field-oriented. This fieldwork will introduce students to research techniques used at Coastal Carolina University and BBFS, where research on sharks has been ongoing for almost 15 years.
Click here for application
Preliminary Itinerary
Before leaving for Bimini, students will participate in a number of classroom activities (lectures, discussions) focused on introducing them to the biology of sharks and their trip to Bimini. We will take a half-day research cruise on the R/V Coastal II, during which we will set several experimental shark longlines. Any sharks captured will be identified, measured, sampled for DNA, and tagged and released. After a short but rigorous training session and observing the experienced Coastal Carolina University shark team set and retrieve the longlines and handle the sharks, students will be given an opportunity to do the same.
| May 10 - 14, 2010 |
On site at Coastal Carolina University |
| May 15 - 22, 2010 |
The Bimini Biological Field Station is a world-reknown center of excellence in the study of shark biology and the director, Dr. Samuel "Sonny" Gruber, is acknowledged as one of the world's leading shark experts. During our stay at BBFS, we will be either participating in lectures, on a variety of field trips (see examples below), or engaging in informal discussions about sharks, careers, environmental issues, or ways that students can work their way back to the lab as a volunteer or staff member (numerous Coastal Carolina University students have done so!). Although the course schedule is rigidly set (e.g., breakfast at 0730, lecture from 0830 – 1000, feed lemon sharks and rays in shark pen from 1030 – 1200, etc.), we are at the mercy of the weather and the success of longlines. So a lecture might be interrupted by the presence of a 12-foot tiger shark on a longline, in which case we grab our snorkel gear, throw on a life vest (a University requirement), hop in one of the boats, and motor the 15 minutes to the line. Once there, we will watch as the shark is worked up, then while the animal is tethered to the boat, we will get in the water and take pictures of one of the most magnificent beasts on the planet. The entire week, which flies by way too fast, is a combination of opportunistic lectures, insightful discussions, slowly acquiring a sense of place in the Bahamas, and sharks, sharks, and more sharks. |
| May 24 - 27, 2010 |
Coastal Carolina University campus (lectures and shark cruises)
When we return to campus, we meet to discuss journal articles about Bimini from the shark literature, and we take 2 -3 more shark research cruises on the R/V Coastal II. |
Meet This Program's Leader
Dr. Daniel C. Abel
Associate Professor, Marine Science
Dr. Abel has taught this course, one of the first and still one of the few in the United States, for almost 15 years. He conducted his dissertation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography on heart function in sharks, and currently studies the ecology of sharks in South Carolina waters.
E-mail: dabel@coastal.edu |
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"If you're passionate about learning about sharks, especially in their environment, if you're not afraid of swimming next to an 8-foot Caribbean reef shark, and if you don't mind the tropical ocean as one of your classrooms, then this rigorous introduction to shark biology might be just what you're looking for."
What students take away from this course, in addition to learning about the biology of sharks, is the observation that a passionate group of dedicated people – the folks at the Bimini Biological Field Station -- can accomplish great things when they care enough and work hard enough to gain insight into a problem. This is a lesson that never fades. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
When is the deadline for application?
Priority Deadline for program application ($50 off the total program cost) and deadline for all scholarship applications is November 6, 2009. Completed applications, along with a $500 deposit, must be in the Office of International Programs by close of business on November 6, 2009 to meet the priority deadline.
Normal Deadline for Program Admission (Regular Program Fee) is November 30, 2009 (No scholarships are available after the priority deadline.) A $500 deposit must be submitted along with the completed application to meet this normal application deadline.
When does this program take place?
May 10-14, 2010 at Coastal Carolina University; May 15-22, 2010 in Bimini; and May 24-27 at Coastal Carolina University.
What is the cost of this study abroad program?
Including air and ground transportation from Myrtle Beach to/from Bimini, room and board ( 3 meals a day and snacks), tuition for 4 credit hours (at $250 per credit hour), tips, and all field trips in Bimini and at Coastal Carolina University, (are approximately $4,000 per student. Costs do not include room and board for campus portion of course. Students will need a passport and an international student ID. The latter is available from the International Programs office for approximately $22.. They will also need mask, fins, snorkel, and weight belt (but no weights –these will be provided in Bimini).
When are payments due for the program?
| Deposit |
$500 due with application |
| 2nd Payment |
January 15, 2010 – 1/3 of remaining balance |
| 3rd Payment |
February 15, 2010- 1/3 of remaining balance |
| 4th Payment |
March 15, 2010- pay remaining balance |
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How many credit hours can I complete during this program?
Undergraduates have the opportunity to complete MSCI 473 and MSCI 473L for 4 credit hours and graduate students may complete MSCI 573 and MSCI 573L (also 4 credit hours).
Does this course/program satisfy core curriculum requirements?
This program does not currently satisfy core curriculum requirements, but it does count for upper level marine science major requirements.
Are scholarships or financial aid available for this program?
Graduates of Horry County high schools are encouraged to apply for the new Horry County Higher Education Commission International Awareness Award ($1,000 - $2,000 per award available). To determine whether you have additional eligibility for financial aid during the Spring or Summer short-term study abroad programs, please see your Financial Aid Counselor in Kingston Hall. To meet the priority deadline and for scholarship consideration, complete this form and return to the OIPS by November 6, 2009. The general deadline for submission of this packet is November 30, 2009.
Are there any prerequisites for this study?
The prerequisite for this course is BIO 122, and permission from the instructor.
What will this course be like?
One student described the course as a little sleep, a lot of great food, and more knowledge of sharks than he had imagined could be crammed into such a short amount of time. The lectures are comprehensive, but the field trips become the course’s lab, and science, it is said, is learned in the lab.
Field Work includes:
- Longlining in Winyah Bay, North Inlet, Murrells Inlet, and the near shore coastal waters off of Garden City Beach.
- Tagging and releasing sharks in local waters. The species usually encountered include sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus), Atlantic sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), blacktip sharks (C. limbatus), along with others such as lemon and bull sharks.
- PIT and dart tagging/releasing of medium and large sharks captured on longlines. The usual species encountered are the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) and the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvieri).
- Telemetry-tracking of sharks with surgically implanted ultrasonic transmitters
- Collecting juvenile lemon sharks with gill-nets in their mangrove nursery grounds; Biological workup including morphometrics and tissue sampling for genetic
analyses; Implanting PIT microtags, followed by recovery and release of the captured individuals.
- Organization of several observational shark dives (snorkeling only), enabling students to view several species of free-swimming, actively feeding elasmobranchs in a natural setting. Species observed include the Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi), blacknose shark (C. acronotus), blacktip shark (C. limbatus), nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum), Caribbean sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon porosus) and the southern stingray (Dasyatis americana), and occasionally others (bull shark, hammerhead shark).
- Chase downs of lemon sharks in the lagoon
- Stingray feeding at Honeymoon Harbor
- Hand-feeding juvenile lemon sharks in mangrove swamp
- Chumming for bull sharks (C. leucas) off Alice Town docks
Do I need vaccinations to participate?
Coastal Carolina University strongly recommends that program participants are vaccinated for all Center for Disease Control (CDC) vaccinations for each area to which the program is traveling. Please visit the website http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ for your destination.
What are the physical demands of this program?
Participants should be in good physical condition, must be able to swim and snorkel, and must be able to stay in the water for up to an hour.
For More Information, Please Contact:
The Office of International Programs & Services
Mr. Geoffrey Parsons, M.Ed.
Director, International Programs & Services
843-349-2054 / parsons@coastal.edu
Ms. Lori Patterson, M.P.S.
Coordinator/Advisor, Study Abroad
843-349-2684 / lori@coastal.edu
Singleton Building 113
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