The Sulikowski lab thrives on collaboration with other like-minded scientists and groups, one of those being Beneath the Waves Non-profit Organization (BTW) beneaththewaves.org/. Through this partnership, we are able to expand our shark research into the Caribbean which is full of special habitats, such as coral reefs and insular shelves, that make it a hotspot for sharks. One of the primary areas of the Caribbean that we focus on is the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. These islands are a special place for sharks due to the diligence of the Bahamian Government who banned shark fishing in 1993 and subsequently devoted the entire Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone (~600,000 km²) as a shark sanctuary in 2011. Because of nearly 30 years of protection, shark populations around the Bahamian Islands are abundant and represent a rare opportunity to study reproduction and movement patterns of healthy shark populations to create the model for how species can be better protected in more at-risk areas of distribution. One of the main species of sharks that we study with BTW in The Bahamas is the Caribbean reef shark. This shark is the most common species inhabiting The Bahamian Islands’ coral reef and shelf ecosystems and has great importance in environmental (i.e. prey regulation) and economical (i.e. shark diving industry) wealth. Due to fishing pressures in other areas of its distribution and habitat degradation from human activity, the Caribbean reef shark population has severely declined, and it is now listed as globally Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Our goal through this research is to describe the reproductive biology and movement patterns of Caribbean reef sharks around the Bahamian Islands using non-lethal methods such as reproductive hormone analysis, in-situ ultrasonography, and satellite and acoustic telemetry. This research will serve to fill the knowledge gaps surrounding this species key life history traits with a focus on creating the model for better protection for pregnant females, which is a critical life stage for conservation and management. To learn more about this research or to follow our journeys into the Caribbean, make sure to follow our Instagram and our partner Beneath the Waves!