Shark population under attack
On Jan. 12, Albion student snorkelers were exploring off of the coast of the Dry Tortugas, a group of seven islands located 78 miles from Key West, as part of their January-term biology course (the reporter was a student in the course). With high visibility in the warm coastal waters, biology professor Jeffrey Carrier, course instructor, pointed out fire coral to avoid and a sea cucumber to inspect. Suddenly, calls of “Shark, shark!” filled the air: Kelyn Carlson, Grand Rapids junior, had spotted a nurse shark pup, or “neonate,” in the shallow grass beds.