Besides what we see on TV, it's hard to really know what the life of a shark is really like.
What do they do all day? When and where do they mate?
They are questions that have been difficult to answer simply because it's difficult to monitor them in the wild.
"They tend to live in places that are hard to observe directly, either because they're under water, or we can't see them, or they cover long ranges," said Dr. Nick Whitney, staff scientist and manager of the Behavioral Ecology and Physiology Program at Mote Marine Laboratory.
Whitney said scientists are gaining a better understanding of the secret lives of sharks as modern technology progresses.
"These accelerometer tags use the same technology found in [the] iPhone and Wii," Whitney said. "It can actually tell us what an animal is physically doing, what their body movements are and what their body posture is."
Whitney said by applying and monitoring motion sensors on sharks, scientists are developing answers to questions about shark mating habits, as well as what exactly happens when they're caught and released.
"Do they swim off strongly, doing great? Or does it take them a while to recover?" Whitney said.
They are questions scientists like Whitney want to answer in order to make sure sharks continue to thrive in the wild.
Mote scientists are planning for a catch-and-release study on black tip sharks in the coming weeks. Whitney is also using the technology on researching the invasive Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades.
Whitney's research is helping reveal python behavior patterns to help find the most common time of day they can be actively seen. Whitney said this helps Mote figure out the best ways to remove them.