Jennifer Thomson

If you think swimming with sharks is crazy, try doing it for a living! To understand sharks, you’ve got to study them in their element and that is exactly what one incredible woman from Australia does. Meet Charlotte Birkmanis, a marine biologist studying ocean warming and how it will affect shark distributions. Read on to discover why entering the water with some of the world’s top predators isn’t so crazy after all and what it can tell us about the future of our shark populations as our oceans continue to warm.

Hey, Charlotte! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Charli and I grew up in Queensland on Australia’s east coast. With the Great Barrier Reef on my doorstep, I was lucky enough to experience the ocean from a young age and that lead to a fascination that has lasted to this day. After high school, I did a double undergraduate degree – a Bachelor of Applied Science in Ecology and a Bachelor of Arts in Mandarin Chinese and Geography. As part of my Arts degree, I was lucky enough to live in China for a couple of years, teaching marine science as well as studying Mandarin Chinese (and eating delicious food). After a few years of traveling and researching predators around the world (Europe, Africa and Asia), home called. Back in Australia, I looked at the vertebral biomechanics (movement and structure of the spinal column) of over 20 shark and ray species and was awarded a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours for my research.

What inspired you to become a marine scientist?

Growing up in Queensland, I spent a lot of time in and around the ocean. I told my parents I wanted to be a marine biologist while wandering around rock pools at four years old. I learnt to SCUBA dive as soon as I was old enough and this further instilled in me a love for all things marine. My parents always encouraged me to follow my passion and have been supportive along the way, although my Mum still worries that I spend my time with toothy critters like sharks. Growing up watching shark documentaries added fuel to the fire so to speak, and my Honours research solidified my belief that this was what I wanted to do. Growing up, I was inspired by ‘Shark Lady’ Eugenie Clark, Sylvia Earle, Jane Goodall and of course, David Attenborough – but who am I kidding? I still find them all inspiring today!

How did your journey through researching sharks lead to studying ocean warming and marine predators?

I love predators both on land and in our oceans; big cats, wolves and bears. They are usually shown as killing machines, but there is so much more to them than that and I find them fascinating. Sharks even more so, the fact that they are so misunderstood is part of the reason why I enjoy working with them. The media portrayal of sharks is so wrong. However, this is often all the public sees and so they believe it. Sharks definitely need better PR! As a shark scientist, I think we can change the perception of sharks by increasing our understanding of them, and sharing our discoveries with others. This will become even more important in the future to understand how environmental changes will affect both sharks and our marine ecosystems.

Can you summarise the research questions you are currently examining? What knowledge do you hope to gain from these studies?

My current research looks at where sharks are, why they are in certain areas more than others, and how this changes over time: kind of like time travel. I compare where they were and how many there were there in the past, to how many and where they are found now and WHY this has changed. I also predict where sharks are likely to be in the future under a changing climate. Alongside this I look at if/how our marine parks are protecting our sharks. This insight will help manage today’s shark populations for the future and predict where sharks may be in times to come.

What are some of the methods you use to study such large, transient animals?

I have been lucky enough to work closely with lots of different shark species. I have measured, tagged and tracked sharks, taken fin, muscle and blood samples to discover more about their genetics and diet, dived with sharks and filmed them. Once I have collected all my samples and other data, I discover more about their movement and behaviour with specialised analysis and software … it’s usually a LOT of number crunching and video watching. We still don’t know a lot about our shark species in the open-ocean, so it’s very exciting to get a glimpse behind the blue curtain and discover something new every day.

What does your typical day look like?

It depends on if I am in the field or in the office. If I’m in the field, I could be doing a number of tasks from attaching tags to sharks and taking samples, to recording their behaviour with underwater video (either by diving or leaving a baited video rig underwater to retrieve later) or even flying drones above them! The method I choose depends on the question I’m answering and the species I’m working with.

If I’m in the office, I might be analysing my data to see where the sharks are, writing up scientific reports to publish, or giving talks about predators and the ocean to interested groups in person or online. I also run workshops to educate people about sharks and help turn fear into fascination.

Can you share a favourite story or experience that epitomises what inspires you to continue your work as a marine biologist?

I was researching shark and predatory fish populations in the middle of the Indian Ocean in the British Indian Ocean Territory, also called the Chagos Archipelago. While I was diving on a reef that we were likely the first to dive on, a shiver of silvertip sharks started swimming around me. It was so peaceful – the way they moved was so graceful – and it easily became a moment I will never forget.

Why is your research important and what do you want the public to understand or take away from it?

We know that our planet and our oceans are under greater pressure than ever. In fact, in 2019 mako sharks, a species I work with, were classified as endangered. Shortfin makos are the fastest sharks on earth and a lot of people know about them, but still they are in danger of disappearing forever. Another facet of my research is how predators, such as sharks, regulate ecosystems. Sharks are vital to keeping the ecosystem in balance and we are only just beginning to see what happens when you remove top predators from the ecosystem… it’s not good for us or for the planet. We need to understand the importance of sharks and other predators while they are still around, and share our research with the public to inspire people to help care for our wildlife in any way that they can.

You mentioned being passionate about science communication and ocean conservation. What is your favourite way to communicate your research, and other important topics, to people?

I use social media, both in English and Mandarin Chinese. I know from living in China that many people have never seen the ocean, and to create change we need to include everyone in the conversation. My favourite way to communicate predator awareness and conservation is through presentations, both in person and via social media and Skype. I really enjoy hearing people say that they had only looked at the ocean as a source of food, or sharks as something to be feared, and now they have a new point of view. I remember after I was on a question and answer panel about sharks at a museum, a little girl told me that I was the first female she had seen talk about sharks and she wanted to be a scientist like me when she grew up. Moments like that make it all worthwhile.

The ocean has changed rapidly in the last couple of decades. Could you leave us with any words of wisdom about ocean conservation?

I don’t think I can put it better than when Jacques-Yves Cousteau said,

“People protect what they love, they love what they understand and they understand what they are taught.”

As scientists, it’s up to us to communicate our research and engage people who are interested in what we do, as these are the exact people that are willing to help create change.

Thank you so much to Charlotte for telling us all about her life and wonderful research! For more information and updates, follow her on Instagram @CharlotteBirky and Twitter @CharlotteBirky, and check out her website.

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Too Hot To Handle, part of our Research Series, highlights recent research efforts into ocean warming and its effect on marine life. 

This interview was conducted by Bethany Gaffey @scubagirlproblems, and edited by Jennifer Thomson. IF YOU’VE ENJOYED READING THIS ARTICLE, LOOK OUT FOR MORE TOO HOT TO HANDLE ARTICLES FROM JENN AND FOLLOW HER HERE @jennelizabeththomson