Secrets of basking sharks to be revealed as public will track movements online THE secret life of the basking shark is to be revealed in an ambitious project which will allow the public to track their movement through Scottish waters. Satellite tags to let public follow movements of sharks online 20 sharks to be tracked around Inner Hebrides Relatively little is known about basking sharks, but the timid giants regularly visit the waters off the Scottish coast. It is thought that the area is important to the sharks" breeding cycling. The tagging project started today in the areas near Coll and Tiree, and will hopefully provide information on the location and behaviour of the sharks during the summer when they can be seen feeding in large numbers at the surface - appearing to be "basking," which led to its name. The sharks will also be tracked for several months afterwards, helping scientists understand if they travel to deeper water around Scotland and further afield over the winter. Dr Suz Henderson from SNH, who is managing theproject said: "We're really lucky to have the world's second largest fish visit our waters every summer but we know very little about their movements throughout the rest of the year. We want to know how the sharks use the waters between Skye and Mull and how long they remain in the area. Magnificent animals We'd also like to find out how important this area is in the life cycle of the sharks, and if some areas are used more than others. The results from this project will help to answer these questions. In addition an area between Skye and Mull has recently been identified as a place where it might be appropriate to develop a marine protected area (MPA) to protect basking sharks. The tagging work will help determine if an MPA is an appropriate way to safeguard these magnificent animals. The tags will record information on the movement, including depth and water temperature, before detaching from the sharks after several months. Dr Henderson added: "The tags might be washed up on beaches after being released from the sharks and if we are able to retrieve them they will provide us with additional information. We'll be asking the public to keep an eye open for them and help us recover as many as we can. Dr Matthew Witt of the University of Exeter said: "Although they have captured the public imagination, we actually know relatively little about how basking sharks live. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to find out more about the movements and lifestyles of these fascinating creatures. This project will use some of newest animal tracking technology available for marine species that allows us to know where the sharks are with near GPS accuracy. This is a hugely challenging project - not least because we are at the mercy of the weather and sea conditions - but the results will provide invaluable in our quest to uncover the secrets of these giants of the sea and help to protect them. Basking sharks can grow up to 11 metres in length - the length of a double decker bus - and seven tonnes in weight, but they feed entirely on plankton, tiny animals that drift through the water. To track the basking sharks online after they are tagged, go to http://www.snh.gov.uk/about-scotlands-nature/species/fish/sea-fish/shark-tagging-project/.