Video: Defending the critically endangered oceanic whitetip shark

Candace Fields always wanted to be an advocate for shark conservation. Now, she's protecting some of the most endangered species.

In 2011, the Bahamas became the first shark sanctuary in the Atlantic Ocean and is now one of the last strongholds for critically endangered oceanic whitetip sharks.

Originally from the Bahamas, Fields—a Ph.D. candidate in FIU's Predator Ecology and Conservation lab—gathers data to help ensure the viability of the last remaining populations of these sharks. Using a combination of genetics and movement data, she works to pinpoint important locations—such as those preferred for giving birth to pups and areas for raising the young that may need safeguarding from human activity.

Provided by Florida International University