Shark Facts, Photos, and Conservation Efforts

Posted by
Jennifer Copley
Apr 24, 2009

There are more than 375 shark species, the majority of which are currently in danger of extinction due to shark finning and other unsustainable fishing methods.

Shark Facts

Only about 5% of shark species have been implicated in attacks on people; most sharks are frightened of people and pose no risk whatsoever.

The Whale Shark, which is the size of a large bus, eats only tiny zooplankton, squid, and small fish. There are also several species of shark that are only 6-8 inches long when fully grown.

Sharks don’t reach maturity for up to 15 years and females produce only one pup each year at most, so it takes a long time for shark populations to replenish after they have been decimated.

Contrary to popular belief, sharks are intelligent. They can even be trained.

Sharks have two additional senses that people don’t have: they can detect the electricity admitted by living things and they are able to sense liquid vibrations in order to detect injured fish thrashing in the water.

Fewer than 10 people each year die in shark attacks on average, whereas humans kill 100-200 million sharks. In most cases, sharks are killed for their fins, which are used to make soup and ineffective medicinal cures. The fins are sliced off and the live sharks dumped back into the ocean to die a slow and agonizing death.

Why We Should Care About Sharks

Greed and ignorance are endangering the existence of sharks, which in turn endangers the balance of marine ecosystems and by extension, human life on earth. In addition to upsetting the delicate ecological balance, the shark trade supports criminal activities and endangers the livelihoods of those living in small, sustainable fishing communities. The majority of shark species are now facing extinction, and negative impacts are already being felt in various places around the world.

How to Help Sharks

Tips from SavingSharks.com include:

Watch Sharkwater and encourage others to do likewise.

Help to dispel myths about sharks; tell others how rarely they attack people and that they are far more intelligent than is commonly believed.

Encourage teachers to download shark education study guides from sharkwater.com.

Refuse to eat shark fin soup and boycott restaurants that serve it and supermarkets that sell it; tell others to do the same. Write to the owners of establishments that offer shark products and demand that they discontinue selling them.

Go on a shark diving holiday – shark tourism dollars encourage people to protect sharks.

If your country hasn’t banned shark finning, write to your local government official and demand that a ban be implemented and that imports and sales of shark fins be stopped.