Gallery: Divers pursue sharks in the name of research

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Humans turned the tables on sharks at Cape Town's Two Oceans Aquarium‚ where divers helped to capture two of the creatures inside a giant predator tank.

One of the Ragged Tooth sharks escaped briefly‚ but was nabbed at the second attempt. Its bigger companion was easily guided by the divers into a condom-like “sleeve”‚ which was then hoisted to the surface by staff outside of the tank on Monday.

Both sharks are due to be tagged and released into the ocean at Mossel Bay. After being hoisted out of the tank at the aquarium‚ they were transferred to a 6‚000 litre holding tank which is being transported by truck to Mossel Bay.

The move is part of a countrywide shark research programme based on data obtained from shark tracking devices.

Each shark is tagged before being released‚ at different locations along the coast depending upon the time of year.

“As with all our previous shark releases‚ we are really excited as we will receive data from these transmitters for the next 10 years and through that will continue to contribute to the scientific research being conducted on sharks around the southern African coast‚” said aquarium operations manager Tinus Beukes.

A further two "raggies" are due to be captured and released next week.

Once placed in the holding tank the sharks are transported on a flat-bed truck fitted with complete life support systems “that will maintain water quality during the journey to Mossel Bay and overnight‚” said aquarium spokesman Renée Leeuwner.