SHARKS

FACTS ABOUT SHARKS

• Sharks are one of the oldest species still in existence, with

archeological evidence indicating that they have been
around for over 400 million years.233
• Sharks are known as apex predators, which means that
they are at the top of the food chain with no known preda-
tors of their own.234

• There are over 500 species of sharks around the world with
vastly different sizes, ranging from 6 inches to 39 feet.235
• Sharks also have remarkable hunting differences amongst the various species. The Portuguese
Dogfish Shark hunts in total darkness up to a depth of over two miles below the surface while the
Blue Shark will travel up to 5,700 miles for hunting and migration activities.236
• Some species of sharks do not sleep the way humans do. Instead of laying down, certain sharks
will “sleep swim” to continue taking in oxygen while sleeping, often in short intervals.237
• It is becoming increasingly clear that humans are now the greatest threat to the survival of all
shark species. The data on shark populations could not be direr: 90% of the Pacific reef sharks
have declined,238 75% of the shark species in the Northwest Atlantic have been lost,239 and the
Oceanic Whitetip has been depleted by 99%.240
• Between 2000 and 2010, an average of 100 million sharks were killed every year.241 To put this
staggering death toll in perspective, this graphic shows how many sharks are killed by humans.

WHY WE NEED TO PROTECT SHARKS

Role in the Ecosystem: Sitting at the top of their food chain,
sharks help maintain a balanced population of whichever ecosys-
tem they are in by preventing the overpopulation of species in the
mid-level of the food pyramid. Without sharks, mid-level species Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit
would overconsume species at the bottom of the food chain,
which could make the entire ecosystem collapse.242

Ecosystem Services: Sharks play an important provisioning ser-

vice in whichever ecosystem they are in. For marine ecosystems
that provide fish for human consumption, a stable population of
sharks helps keep the supply of fish stable as well.243 For instance, one study found that the collapse
of the shellfish industry in the United States occurred because the sharks in that ecosystem were
hunted to near extinction, which then caused an ecosystem chain-reaction.244

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 Economic Contribution: On the tourism aspect, shark-watching in the Bahamas generates far more rev-
enue than direct hunting, helping both the local economy and the preservation of the shark species.245

Uniqueness: In addition to sharks’ mainstream popularity through programs such as Shark Week,
research into the evolution of sharks has yielded valuable insights into the origins of vertebrates that
developed jaws.246 Visually, this video from BBC Earth captures what happens when various shark
species gather in Costa Rica for their annual breeding.

THREATS TO SHARKS
Hunting and Finning: Sharks are hunted around the globe
primarily for their meat and fins. By some estimates, 73 million
sharks are traded each year.247 In the Galapagos Islands, where
the most biodiverse species of sharks live, shark hunting out-
side protected Ecuadorian waters by fishermen from countries
such as China has threatened approximately 90% of the shark
species there with extinction.248

Climate Change: As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, especially in the world’s
oceans through increasing temperatures and greater amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide in the
oceans (known as acidification),249 it impacts the well-being of sharks in several ways. From being
driven from their natural habitats,250 making it more difficult to hunt,251 to decreasing the survival rates
of embryos,252 sharks worldwide are seriously threatened.

Habitat Loss: Habitat loss is closely related to the effects of climate change, as both rising sea tem-
peratures and acidification degrade shark habitats and make them difficult to survive in.253

Bycatch: Sharks are susceptible to a certain type of bycatch known as trawling. When boats under-
take trawling, large, tightly-woven mesh nets are dragged across the bottom of the seabed, catching
any and everything in the net’s pathway. Countless sharks have been caught in these types of nets,
leading to shark deaths and the resulting damage to the ecosystem.254

HOW TO HELP SHARKS

Boycott the Shark Fin Trade: Although many countries outlaw the hunting and finning of sharks,
hunting in international waters continues to persist. Fueled by the demand in the United States255
and China,256 for instance, shark products are found in goods such as necklaces and shark fin soup.
By refusing to be involved with any product that can be traced back to the shark trade, you can help
lower the demand and drive down illegal hunting. Recently, several major airlines, including several
Chinese firms, have announced bans on transporting shark fins on their flights.257
Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit
Support Sustainable Fishing: Before sharks were hunted for their meat and fins, many species were
killed through bycatch, a process in which large-scale nets would catch any and all species that were
in their path.258 Although direct shark fishing remains a serious problem, supporting fisheries that
have sustainable practices can ensure that sharks are not threatened indirectly as well.259

Test your knowledge about threats to ocean ecosystems with our Oceans Plastic Pollution Quiz.

Help End Plastic Pollution and download our toolkits.

Advocacy Actions: Check out our Species Profiles for up-to-date advocacy actions.

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 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
ARTICLES/BLOGS/READINGS

Even as China turns away from shark fin soup, the prestige dish is gaining popularity elsewhere in
Asia – Washington Post
https://wapo.st/2U15SKn
Consumption of shark fin soup in China has fallen by about 80 percent since 2011, government figures
and private surveys show, after a celebrity-driven public awareness campaign and a government
crackdown on extravagant banquets. But the news is offset by a rise in the consumption of this dish
in places such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Macau, according to a new report by WildAid, a
San Francisco-based group that campaigns to curb demand for wildlife products.

VIDEOS

Thousands of Sharks Visit a Sea Mount | Blue Earth – BBC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyq4U1k5rRc
In the Pacific, a tiny island 300 miles away from the shore hides a giant mountain beneath the waves
that forms a home for thousands of plankton feeding fish. These fish attract Tuna, and the Tuna
attract thousands of Sharks.

STORYTELLING

TEDx Talk: How Sharks Affect Us All – Ocean Ramsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVuHuifQL8Q
Sharks on a world wide scale suffer under their reputation as brutal killers. They are close to extinc-
tion due to human prosecution. Ocean Ramsey explains why they are a valuable and fundamental
part of the oceans´ ecosystems and encourages everyone of us to help saving them.

OTHERS WORKING ON THIS

Shark Research Institute

https://www.sharks.org/
This organization’s mission is to conduct and sponsor research on sharks and promote their
conservation.
Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit

REPORTS

The Future of Sharks: A Review of Action and Inaction – TRAFFIC International

http://bit.ly/2Nkqmez
This report summarizes the efforts of international organizations to protect some of the most endan-
gered sharks worldwide.

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