SharkSightings
Indeeperwater,Gajićhascomeuponroughsharksandlanternsharks.Hedoesn’tneedhiscameralighttoseelanternsharks.Theyglow!Thelightcomesfrommanysmallorganscalledphotophores,whichdottheirbelliesand sides.
Gajić’sinteractionswithraysandskatesarealittlelesstrickythanwith sharks.
He’sabletogetclosertorays,includingstingrays,eaglerays,andleopardwhiprays,ashestudies them.
ForGajić,itisadreamcometruetobeamongtheseanimals.HegrewupinthecountryofYugoslaviaandneverlivedneartheocean.Yet,hewasfascinatedbytheseaandwhatlivedinit.Especiallysharks.HewasinspiredbyNationalGeographicmagazine.Hevowedthathewouldonedayswimwith sharks.
researchingunbornsmoothhound sharks
Gajićexaminesadeep-waterroughsharkinthe lab.
DangerousWaters
Asmuchashelovessharks,GajićknowsthattheyareintroubleintheAdriatic.Pollutioniscausingillnessesinmanymarineanimals.Plastics,pesticides,andwastepoisonthesea.ThoughNeumisapopularvacationspot,muchofitssewageflowsintothesea.Thisbecomes hazardous.
Outwardly,amarineanimalmightseemhealthy.Toknowforcertain,however,Gajićmustputonhiswhitelabcoat.In
thelab,hemustexaminesharkorgansandtissue.Onlythencanheseewhat’sreally happening.
UndertheMicroscope
Gajićrarelycollectssamplesfromlivesharks.Instead,atissuesampleistakenfromanalready-deadshark.Thesecomeintheformofbycatch—whenasharkisaccidentallycaughtinafisher’snetandkilled.Whenasharkiskilledbymistake,localfishersgivethesharksto Gajić.
Inthelab,eachspecimenisgivenafull x‑ray andascansoGajićcanseeinsidetheanimal.Tissuesamplesaretaken.Fromthesesamples,Gajićcanlearna lot.
Inoneshark,hefoundthediseasehepatitis.That’sadiseaseoftheliver.Itmightbecausedbyhighamounts
ofheavymetalsinthewater.Inothersharks,hefounddiseaseinbothkidneyandbraintissue.Pollutionmadethesesharks sick.
This sevengillsharkwasbycatchoffthecoastofMaltaintheMediterranean Sea.