Association of sharks with Las Gemelas Seamount and first evidence of connectivity with Cocos Island, Pacific of Costa Rica.

A scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) demonstrates persistent movements between Cocos Island National Park and Las Gemelas seamount, providing the first evidence of connectivity between these two marine protected areas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. This suggests that seamounts may act as stepping stones for highly migratory species, complicating the assumed linear movement patterns between oceanic islands. The study used acoustic tracking to monitor shark movements, revealing intermittent presence and low residency at Cocos Island, with detections concentrated during morning hours. Additionally, a pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) was recorded at Las Gemelas nearly a year after being tagged there. These findings underscore the need for greater protection of seamounts and the creation of connecting swimways to enhance the conservation effectiveness of marine protected areas for pelagic species.

Chávez, E. J., Arauz, R., Hearn, A., Nalesso, E., & Steiner, T. (2020). Asociación de tiburones con el Monte Submarino Las Gemelas y primera evidencia de conectividad con la Isla del Coco, Pacífico de Costa Rica. Revista de Biología Tropical, 68(S1), S320–S329. https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v68is1.41202