LOCATION South Africa
URGENT PROJECT
986,503 Acres
COST $ 1,465,045
TOP : SCALLOPED HAMMERHEADS BY TOMAS KOTOUC / SHUTTERSTOCK ; LOWER RIGHT : DUCKBILL EAGLE RAY BY WILDTRUST ; UPPER RIGHT : SOUPFIN SHARK BY WILDTRUST
INCREASE PROTECTION FOR THREATENED SHARKS AND RAYS SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa is one of only three marine global hotspots for sharks and rays , home to one-third of the global fauna . These waters host an exceptionally high number of endemic species as well as many large , wideranging threatened sharks and rays .
Historically , this marine and coastal habitat has been a safe harbor for species like the Critically Endangered Scalloped Hammerhead Shark , Tope or Soupfin Shark , Duckbill Eagle Ray and Endangered Spearnose Skate . But now , populations are slipping downward , setting off alarm bells for marine conservation .
Overharvesting of fish in South African waters — along with illegal fishing and the cruel practice of shark-finning — are ravaging sharks and rays . Some of the country ’ s economic initiatives , like oil and gas exploration , sea-bed mining , marine infrastructure development , aquaculture and tourism , disturb and destroy critical habitat for dozens of threatened species .
Rainforest Trust and our partner , Wildlands Conservation Trust , are establishing three new Marine Protected Areas ( MPAs ) and expanding two existing MPAs in South Africa across 986,503 acres — an area the size of Rhode Island .
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