What Factors Cause Shark Migration?
As with salmon, geese, and other animals, many sharks also migrate. There are three major factors that cause shark migration. Whether sharks migrate or not depends to a large degree on temperature and seasonal changes, reproduction, and food sources. Reproduction: Sharks, like many other animals, migrate for purposes of mating and giving birth. These migrations are timed by seasons of the year, which cause water temperature changes that may trigger sharks to migrate to their breeding and pupping grounds. The sandbar shark is one specie that migrates to breeding grounds to reproduce. The sandbar shark, for example, is found in large numbers off the east coast of Florida, in spring. This is a major mating ground for the shark. Sandbar sharks migrate north in early summer, and females move into northeastern bays and estuaries in June to have their pups. Delaware Bay is a major pupping ground for sandbar sharks. Throughout the summer months, from June to early September, the pups will rema
