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Sharks we have all heard of them but did you know that they are in danger did you know that an average of 4 people die of shark attacks a year but 100 million sharks are killed by people each year due to finning?! Sharks are one of the most important animals in the world they clean the ocean. Some would argue we need this now more than ever with the extent of water pollution in our generation.
Sharks are a special type of fish that is known as an ‘elasmobranch’ – in other words, a fish that is made from cartilaginous tissue (the gristly stuff your ears are made of). Rays, Skates and Sawfish are also included in this category.
SHARKS - A TERRIFYING PREDATOR OR A SERIOUSLY MISUNDERSTOOD BREED...
Sharks are a special type of fish that is known as an ‘elasmobranch’ – in other words, a fish that is made from cartilaginous tissue (the gristly stuff your ears are made of). Rays, Skates and Sawfish are also included in this category.
A good company that protects and rescues these magnificent creatures is a company called ‘Shark Trust’, they let you adopt sharks and you can even join the ‘Great Egg Case Hunt’! Rebeca Gillham from Shark Trust told us that the ‘Great Egg Case Hunt’ is a citizen science project that encourages members of the public to look for an record egg cases found. To explain; egg cases are released into the ocean and if the egg cases come back to shore without eggs in them it means that sharks haven eaten them. This indicates that there are shark species present.
Most sharks have brilliant night vision, allowing them to see their prey with eyes when hunting at night. The backs of their eyeballs have a reflective layer of tissue called a tapetum, which helps them to see so well in low light.
backs of their eyeballs have a reflective layer of tissue called a tapetum, which helps them to see so well in low light. Weak members of fish schools and quickly cull the mutated and ill fish before entire fisheries can be affected. Today, some shark populations have decreased by 60-70%.
Finning is where people cut off sharks fins for food/decoration/collecting and then just return the shark to the water. Finning is a very serious and cruel issue that needs to be stopped - you can visit the shark trust website.
You can do a lot to help sharks like donate to a shark help organisation you can also adopt sharks through ‘Shark Trust’. Rebecca from ‘Shark Trust’ told us that the money used from adoption is put towards research. So why not donate – or host a fundraising event? Sharks are vulnerable and we need to act NOW.
SHARKS - A TERRIFYING PREDATOR OR A SERIOUSLY MISUNDERSTOOD BREED...