Oceanic sharks and rays live so far from land that the average person is unlikely to ever see them. But these species, which live in the vast open ocean, are also among the most revered, and include the great white shark and the giant manta ray. For millennia, their remotenessContinue Reading
EXETER (UK)- Bans on shark fishing are only partially effective in protecting sharks, new research suggests. Scientists from the University of Exeter, international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and Sri Lankan NGO Oceanswell examined the effects of a blanket ban on landing thresher sharks, brought in by the SriContinue Reading
LONDON (UK)- In total 300 shark species of sharks and rays are now threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). One shark, the Lost Shark, was only formally described last year, just to become as good as extinct now. Lost, found, and lost again.. TheContinue Reading
Scientists and conservation activists in Libya have launched the Angel Shark Project in Libya. This project aims to promote reporting of angel shark catch and identification in Libya, and highlight the importance of Libya as a hotspot for angel sharks in the Mediterranean sea. In a global extinction risk reviewContinue Reading
No measure are needed to reduce shark conservation, says the Bahamas National Trust in reaction to concerned fishermen who see an increase in shark interactions while fishing, spearfishing and diving. The shark attraction industry brings in more than $100 million a year. The Bahamas National Trust “understands the concerns expressedContinue Reading
VENICE BEACH (USA)- In the race for a vaccine to stop the spread of COVID-19, some vaccine candidates are made with squalene, a natural oil made in the liver of sharks. If everyone in the world would receive one dose, it would need 250.000 sharks. Scientists actually say that twoContinue Reading
Today, WWF released its Living Planet Report, stating that 68% of the world’s animals has vanished between 1970 and 2016. Another study a few weeks ago showed how illegal and irresponsible fishing has left sharks ‘functionally extinct’ in many of the world’s reef ecosystems. Protection seems more urgent than ever!Continue Reading