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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Swimming Performance Assessment in Fishes
Published on: May 20, 2011
Water-escape velocities in jumping blacktip sharks
1Zoological Institute, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. juerg@gluecklich.net
Abstract:
This paper describes the first determination of water-escape velocities in free-ranging sharks. Two approximations are used to estimate the final swimming speed at the moment of penetrating the water surface. Blacktip sharks were videotaped from below the surface and parameters were estimated by analysing the sequences frame by frame. Water-escape velocities averaged 6.3 ms(-1). These velocities for blacktip sharks seem accurate and are similar to estimates obtained for other shark species of similar size.
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