Social Behaviour
Our social behaviour study provides the first detailed insights into the social behaviour of tiger sharks in Fuvahmulah, offering a rare look into how individuals interact within a shared hotspot. Although tiger sharks are traditionally characterised as solitary predators, this work demonstrates that their social structure is far more nuanced. By combining high-resolution identification data, encounter histories, and behavioural observations, the study uncovers a spectrum of social interactions that occur regularly among individuals using the site.
A key finding of the paper is that tiger sharks exhibit consistent and non-random associations, meaning that some individuals preferentially interact with certain others over time. These association patterns suggest that the species’ social dynamics are shaped by more than spatial overlap; instead, individuals form temporary but repeated social bonds. The analysis identified clusters of sharks that frequently co-occurred, hinting at a loose social network within the population.
Submission
A sudden, abrupt deviation of one shark’s trajectory, often rolling sideways and exposing part or all of the underside. This movement indicates social precedence of the undeviating (dominant) shark near the prey.
Give way
A deflection of one shark’s trajectory by ~45° left or right when another shark approaches, indicating social precedence of the shark maintaining a straight path toward the prey
Swim by
Two sharks approach on opposite courses near the prey and pass closely (0.5–2.5 m apart) without colliding, exhibiting slow, close-range movement and ending the interaction as they pass each other.
Parallel swimming
Two sharks swim in the same direction in close proximity (0.5–2.0 m), maintaining parallel trajectories near the prey without colliding.
Push away
Two sharks converge toward the prey and the dominant individual deliberately nudges, bumps, or displaces the subordinate shark to maintain access to the prey.
Follow give way
The dominant shark follows behind a subordinate toward the prey, prompting the subordinate to turn away at ~45°–90°. Typical spacing between sharks is 1–2.5 m.
Stand back
Two sharks simultaneously deviate when approaching the prey, with neither establishing clear dominance.
Importantly, this study demonstrate that these interactions are not random but structured by size, sex, residency and familiarity. Long-term residents interacted with one another more frequently than with transient individuals. These findings challenge the long-standing assumption that tiger sharks lack social structure and reveal a more complex behavioural ecology than previously known.
Overall, this first exploration into tiger shark sociality marks a major step toward understanding how large predators coexist in high-density environments. It opens the door for future work integrating movement tracking, hormonal data, and environmental context, ultimately helping explain how social behaviour shapes survival, reproduction, and habitat use in one of the ocean’s most iconic apex predators.
This project was carried out in close collaboration with Centro Studio Squali, Fuvahmulah Scuba Club, Fuvahmulah Dive School, and Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah.
